


three words to die for

by LettersAndNumbers



Category: Persona 5, Persona Series
Genre: Akira You Horny Bastard, Comedy of Errors, F/M, Harems, Humor, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-07-31
Updated: 2017-08-20
Packaged: 2018-12-09 13:04:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 28,866
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11669682
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LettersAndNumbers/pseuds/LettersAndNumbers
Summary: it was supposed to be a fun guys' night in, a simple game of truth or dare. no one could have expected it to turn out the way it did. a devious prank, a broken phone, an unknown recipient, and an embarrassing text sent to one of akira's closest friends. now he must uncover the truth of who accidentally received those three life changing words: "i love you"





	1. day one - three words to die for

**Author's Note:**

> Hello friends! This is a story I have been posting to Fanfiction.net, and I thought I should post it here too. I hope you all enjoy!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> in which ryuji makes a terrible mistake and our story begins

 

**three words to die for**

* * *

_**October 29, 10:42pm  
Cafe Leblanc** _

All men speak the language of desire. It is the burden of good men to reject it.

The room was fatally silent.

They huddled around the table like vultures. One, two, three, four sets of unblinking eyes attached to the man with midnight blue hair. His every movement was meticulously studied, every furrow of his brows, clench of his jaws, roll of his shoulders. They were waiting for him to break, for those scandalous truths he kept imprisoned behind the cloister of his lips to spill free. So far he'd put up a good fight. He did not succumb to their interrogation, nor was he deceived by their honeyed words. He even remained steadfast after they insulted his artwork, the bastards. But the night was young and pungent with promise. His breaking wasn't a matter of if. It was a matter of when.

And then, as if to summarily prove that point, the defenses he had so carefully constructed began to crumble. A sudden tremble of his lips. All moved forward in their seats. A slight inhale of breath. All felt the hairs on the napes of their necks stand on end. A clearing of his throat. All froze with bated breath.

At last, after much anticipation, he opened his mouth, and the words that poured forth were like music to their ears.

"If I had to choose, I suppose it would be… Akira-san."

The roar of their combined jeers instantly drowned the room. Their once stoic countenances broke into laughs and shucks and smiles and words of astonishment.

"Wow, you're really popular, Joker!" Morgana beamed giddily. "Even Yusuke picked you!"

"I totally saw that comin'!" gloated Ryuji as he leaned back in his chair, one foot nonchalantly pressed against the skirt of the table. Grin wider than a Cheshire Cat's, he chimed, "Hey, did you hear that man? Yusuke chose you! You must feel super honored right now, huh?"

Akira could not help but laugh along, even if he wanted nothing to do with this game. His friends' affections were contagious. Hunching his shoulders forward, he rubbed the back of his head and gave a simple, "Thanks, Yusuke."

On the other side of the table, a gloved, chestnut-haired youth chided his poor luck. "A rather fortuitous guess by Sakamoto-kun," he mused. "Certainly not the outcome that I was expecting."

"Ah shaddup!" Ryuji hollered, running a hand through his short, blonde dyed hair. "Just because you're an ace detective doesn't mean you gotta pretend like you have everythin' figured out, Akechi. Just admit that I was right and you were wrong for once."

"Yes, I suppose even a broken clock is correct twice a day," the investigator quipped.

Ryuji stared at him owlishly. Blinking several times in quick succession, he proudly sneered, "Heh, well then! Glad you see things my way!"

Morgana groaned and rolled his eyes. "That wasn't a compliment you idiot."

"Huh? Whaddya mean?"

"Do you even know what that phrase means?"

"Yeah, it means that I'm right…! Right…?"

"It means that you're only right because of dumb luck, you big baboon!"

"Oh…" Ryuji paused, then snapped, "Oh! What?! Hey, Akechi! You take that back, you effin' bastard!"

Akechi threw his head back with laughter.

"How daft..." Yusuke hummed beneath his breath, tucking idle strands of dark blue hair behind his ear.

"I guess in Ryuji's case," teased Morgana, "He's only right once a day!"

Ryuji's brows bumped together in an angry scowl. "Huh?! What did you just say about me, you overgrown hairball?!"

"Hey, what did you just call me?!"

Chuckling at how swiftly the situation had devolved, Akechi arbitrated, "Now, now, settle down you two. At any rate, we should return to the matter at hand. Who is next to answer after Yusuke?"

There was a moment of silence as they mentally counted whose turn it was in their heads. "Ah, it's…!" exclaimed Ryuji as everyone seemed to simultaneously reach the same conclusion. Leaning his chair to the right, he wrangled his arm around his bespectacled friend. "Akiiiiiira!" he proclaimed in a sing-songy tone, "It's finally your turn buddy! What's it gonna be! Truth… or dare!"

Akira, who had remained relatively uninvolved until now, released a long, defeated sigh. "Is it alright if I pass?"

Ryuji scoffed. "The hell, man?! That's  _totally_  against the whole point of the game! This is supposed to be our  _boys' night in_ , remember? To celebrate Akechi becomin' one of us! We're supposed to be having fun tonight because those effin' boring girls decided to go shopping together! And you haven't done jack all tonight, so no way in hell you just pass your turn!"

"I too shall not allow you to concede," said Yusuke, arms crossed over his chest. "If I am to be subjected to this inequitable interrogation by our peers for the sake of 'fun', it is only fair that you share in the same fate."

"Yeah, come on Akira!" cheered Morgana. "Join in with us! A true Phantom Thief  _never_  backs down from a challenge!"

"Indeed. What kind of precedent would be set for our group if our leader were to surrender under such circumstances?" The sides of Akechi's lips knowingly curled upwards as he offered a sly wink to Akira.

He was completely outnumbered. Letting out another sigh, Akira conceded, "Alright, I'll play."

"Nice! That's what I like to hear!" Ryuji laughed, slapping a flat palm against Akira's back, nearly sending his glasses flying off his face. Deviously rubbing his palms together, he snickered, "Oh man, I bet a quiet guy like you has a bunch'a crazy secrets. What should we ask, guys? What's his favorite part of a girl's body? Who his crush is? Ooo, ooo! Let's ask him if he's seein' anyone right now!"

"Patience, Sakamoto," Akechi patronized in a flitting voice. "After all, it is Akira's choice whether he will be asked a truth or a dare, and we must let him decide of his own volition."

"Gah… why do you gotta be such a buzzkill?" Ryuji mumbled. "We all know he's gonna pick truth."

Akechi turned to smile toward Akira. "In that case, what will it be? Truth, or dare?"

"I doubt he'll choose dare," Morgana taunted. "He's probably too  _scared_  to pick it!"

"Hah! Yeah, what's the matter Akira?" added Ryuji. "You afraid of a little game of truth or dare? Come on, step up!"

"I shall not partake in this childish taunting," began Yusuke. "That being said, I do hope you decide on dare, Akira-san, for it would be greatly to my benefit. This the ideal opportunity to ask you to model for me, so I will not back down." With a sudden, ardent slam of his palm against the table, Yusuke reverberated his passion into every corner of the room. "Akira! I believe that at last I am ready to take my art to the next level, but I need your assistance to usher me there. Help me in exposing the transcendent beauty…" Casting his arm forth in a spitting image of  _The Creation of Adam_ , he poured the whole of his soul into his decree:

"The transcendent beauty of the  _fully nude male form_!"

The room stared at him slack-jawed.

"... What the eff man!" Ryuji finally blurted out. "You want Akira to get… naked?! In front of us?! Right now?! Man, what's wrong with you! What's up with you and drawin' people's junk!"

"I-I don't want to see that!" cried Morgana. "Please Akira, choose truth! Choose truth!"

"I am not asking that you be present, merely that you grant me the opportunity to issue him the dare," said Yusuke.

"No, dude, that's mega weird!" Ryuji retorted. "Dares are supposed to be funny and a little embarrassing, not… traumatic!"

"So there are limitations to what I can ask of my subject?" Yusuke sighed. "How pedantic…"

"Pedantic peshamntic, don't ask him any dares that make him have to get naked in front of us!"

"For once, I agree with Ryuji!"

With an exasperated laugh, Akechi reiterated, "Well then, what will it be Akira? Truth, or dare?"

Once more, the room grew eerily quiet. All remained utterly still as they awaited Akira's answer.

"I'll pick dare."

"W-w-what!" Morgana stammered. "But Yusuke will… And then we'll see your… Gahhhhh!"

Ryuji's eyes widened with shock. "Seriously?! You're actually goin' through with it? Even  _after_  hearing what Yusuke wanted to do to you?! Dang man, I guess I totally misjudged you."

In a brief moment of inelegance, Yusuke laughed haughtily and covered his mouth with the back of his hand. "Ha-ha-ha! Excellent! I knew you would appreciate the ambition of my intentions. Have no fear, Akira, for I shall perfectly immortalize your naked loins in all their glory upon my canvas!"

"No bro! Didn't we already tell you, we are  _not_ going to make him pose nude for you!" argued Ryuji.

"I must agree," Akechi added. "I am fine with most any dare being performed, but even this is a little… extreme for me."

"Me three! Me three!" said Mona.

"But… but… my art!" Yusuke sank to the floor in an exceedingly over-the-top fashion.

"Ah just can it!" Ryuji shouted. "No on gives an eff about your art anyway!"

"You uncivilized  _brute_. You take that back  _immediately_!"

As Ryuji and Yusuke fruitlessly bickered with one another, Akechi sent Akira a smile. "Once again, I was not anticipating that response of yours. Truly you are an intriguing individual, Akira. I would have enjoyed eliciting a truth from you, but I suppose in this situation a dare will have to suffice."

"Okay then, it's decided!" chimed Morgana. "Akira is going to be doing a  _dare_  for this round! Does anyone have any suggestions!"

Yusuke swiftly opened his mouth to speak.

"We're  _not_ doin' anything that involves him getting naked!" interjected Ryuji.

And just as swiftly closed it.

"Ooo, I know! Let's have him stuff his mouth with curry and sing 'Happy Birthday' to Boss!" laughed Mona.

Ryuji thinned his gaze. "What are you, twelve? That's a terrible dare!"

"Oh yeah?" Mona pouted. "Then why don't you come up with a better one, pinhead!"

"I will!" He grumbled several obscenities and scratched the side of his head boorishly. "Uh... let's have him... uh… run around the track tomorrow morning screaming, 'I love Kawakami-senpai!' Hah, yeah, that's a good one!"

"Ugh, you dunce! That'll attract way too much attention!"

"And? What's wrong with that?"

"Use your brain for once, Ryuji! Won't all those detectives investigating the school find it suspicious that Akira  _suddenly_ started making such a commotion at school? They might look into him, and that would completely jeopardize the Phantom Thieves!"

"Ah right... didn't think about that…"

"That's because you never think in general, stupid."

"You know, for a useless cat, you're really good at making me angry!"

"So we must ask Akira-san a dare that is neither too childish nor too conspicuous, yet will still embarrass him," considered Yusuke, holding his chin between his index finger and thumb. "A difficult task indeed…"

"Mmm…" Akechi exhaled slowly, drumming his fingers upon the table. "What if we were to take his phone and send a private message of our own creation to an individual on his contacts list? We would also establish that Akira would not be able to clarify to said individual that it was his friends who sent the message to this individual, unless he is there to explain it in person. Surely this wouldn't risk our detection as the Phantom Thieves, and also mortify Akira appropriately."

"Man, why does everything you say sound so long and boring?" Ryuji groaned.

"Not everyone has a two syllable vocabulary like you…" retorted Mona.

After several moments of deliberation, Yusuke snapped his fingers as if he'd had an epiphany.

"Ah! This is a brilliant dare, Akechi-san. Though it appears initially simplistic, beneath its unassuming exterior is a deeply diabolical ploy. The possibilities for tormenting Akira-san are endless."

"Huh, whaddya mean?" asked Ryuji. "It sounded like a lot of boring mumbo-jumbo to me."

"Let me explain," Yusuke started. "Imagine that we choose to send a compromising message using Akira's phone to anyone on his contacts list. For example, suppose we send, 'You have the most beautiful eyes in the world,' to Takamaki-san. Akira would not able to explain that it was the work of his friends until they next met in person. Hyjinx and chaos would certainly ensue. Surely you can see the potential for hyjinx."

" T-t-to Lady Ann?" sputtered Mona, who didn't seem to process the rest of Yusuke's explanation.

It took Ryuji a few more seconds of thought before realizing the dare's ingenuity. "... Oh yeah… Yeah, that sounds amazing! We could totally screw him over! Good thinking, Akechi! You got a knack for this whole deception thing!"

Meanwhile, Akira sat as still as a stump as everyone talked about him as if he weren't present.

Akechi proudly scratched his cheek. "Haha, well, I wouldn't sing praises about me just yet. We do not know if Akira will consent to such a dare. After all, the stakes are quite heavy. One improper text to the wrong person could greatly jeopardize his relationship with them."

"Isn't that the whole point of a dare though?" said Ryuji, turning to Akira. "Come on, just agree to it man! It'll be totally hilarious! And I promise it won't be anythin' life ruining, just a little bit of fun between guys!"

In the moment the dare seemed innocuous enough. And if given more time, they would probably just think of something worse for him to do. "Alright."

"Sweet!" said Ryuji, his face lighting up with devilish delight. He waited until Akira dug out his phone from his pocket and practically snatched it away from him. Showing his teeth with a wide chortle, he navigated immediately to Akira's contacts. "Heheh, alright then, this is gonna be... what the?" He stared blankly at the screen. "Hey Akira, why don't you have any contacts?"

Curiously, Yusuke peered over Ryuji's shoulder. "It appears that Akira does not add people's numbers as contacts onto his phone. How queer."

"What gives, dude!" Ryuji wailed. "How do you know who to call or text without adding them to your phone?"

Akira offered a casual shrug. "I have your numbers memorized. Adding contacts takes too much time."

"And remembering them all in your head doesn't? You're a weird guy, you know that?" Sniffing sharply, the loudmouthed blonde groaned, "How are we gonna pick a person now?"

"We could choose a person at random from the individuals he has messaged most recently," Yusuke proposed. "That way, we know the text will be more meaningful as it is someone he has been in recent contact with."

Akechi nodded in agreement. "A splendid idea, Yusuke. Let's do just that." Looking at Akira once again, he said, "In that case, we'll need you to exit the room while we deliberate. Please return when we call for you."

Akira acknowledged Akechi's orders with a genial thumbs up. Speechlessly he rose from his chair and headed downstairs. When he was out of sight, the others convened around Ryuji like a swarm of locusts.

"Hey, give me a bit of space to work here, guys!" he exclaimed. "It's a very delicate process."

"Were you guys being serious earlier about sending a message to Lady Ann...?" asked Morgana, though no one answered him.

"What should we send? Something nasty? Or something really gushy and heartfelt?"

"I believe the message Yusuke provided as an example earlier will suffice," Akechi replied. "It is bitingly romantic, and will certainly evoke a response from the recipient."

"Wait, that's all we're going to send?" huffed Ryuji. "That's so boring! We hit a gold mine of a dare, let's roll with it! Let's write something more risque, something that'll really get the blood boiling! Huh? Whaddya say?"

"Though this is a game for good fun," began Yusuke. "We should not cause needless strife for Akira's personal life. I believe it would be in our best interests not to send a message too excessive that it could potentially harm him."

"I must agree with Yusuke," Akechi followed up. "I wouldn't want to see any harm come to Akira-san."

With a heavy groan, Ryuji relented, "Alright fine, fine. Then, guess I'll just decide for myself who to send this bad boy to!" Swiping his thumb over several potential recipients, a wicked glint flashed in his eyes. "Heheh… Alright, I'll pick this one!"

"H-hey Ryuji…" whispered Morgana. "Are you going to send that text to Ann?"

"How should I know?" Ryuji wrote off, his thumbs busily tapping away at the keyboard as he started writing the message. "I can't even tell who these numbers belong to in the first place. Could be Ann, could be anyone else."

"Do you think I could take a look for a quick second?" Morgana said, hopping onto Sakamoto's shoulder.

"Hey, get off of me you fleabag!" grumbled Ryuji as he swatted Morgana's paw away. "I'll show you once I'm done!"

"H-hey!" he protested. "Stop being an ass, Ryuji! Just lemme look for one second!"

"Quit it! I can't type when you're hanging off of me like that!"

"Lemme see!"

"No!"

"Yes!"

"No!"

"Boys will be boys," Akechi sang.

Yusuke shook his head with disapproval. "Such is their nature."

"Stop hogging it all to yourself Ryuji, give it to me!"

"I would if you would eff off for one second!"

"Never!"

"Grrrrrr!"

"Hnnngh!"

"Morgana, stop it! Let go of me! I'm gonna… W-woah! GAH!"

"GYAAAAAH!"

The ground trembled thunderously as Ryuji toppled forward, his face planting flatly into the floorboards. His body laid there motionless, and the room drew silent once more. Then, a sudden, frantic cry broke the calm. Poking his head out from under the blonde's chest was Morgana, who gasped desperately for air under Ryuji's immense weight. Clawing wildly at the ground in front of him, he violently wriggled his body in all directions until at last he slipped free. Panting so hard his chest visibly rose and fell with each breath, he collapsed onto his back, eyes agape, and groaned.

"Goodness, are you alright Morgana? Ryuji?" inquired Yusuke as he knelt down to inspect the two. "Answer me if you are alright."

"Ugh… my face… my beautiful face..." Ryuji lamented.

"I… was almost… crushed to death… by this… dumbass… idiot..." Morana heaved.

Akechi beamed brightly. "Sounds like they'll both make a full recovery."

Pushing off his palms, Ryuji sat up and rubbed the side of his face. It was markedly redder after his tumble. "Yeah, I'm fine. I've gotten worse from the doctor." Glaring down at Morgana, he chided, "And I'm sure I'll feel way better after this stupid furball apologizes for effing up my face!"

"Me?! Apologize to you?!" Morgana cried, standing resolutely on all fours. "You nearly killed me! You should be the one apologizing!"

Interlocked in their usual quarrel, the two neglected the shattered husk of Akira's cell phone lying splintered on the floor. "It appears there has been an accident," said Yusuke examining the broken device. He lifted it up and attempted to turn it on, but to no avail. It was completely busted.

"Oh my," whistled Akechi. "That can't be good."

Ryuji's face twisted white as a ghost. "O-oh shit…"

"Joker's…"

Before Morgana could finish his thought, he heard something, a rhythmic thump, thump, thump. It started off soft, but it grew louder and closer with each second. Thump, thump, thump, thump. It suddenly stopped. All eyes fixated on the origin of the noise.

"What's going on up here?"

The room collectively held its breath. "Akira…" Ryuji started, his heart beating so quickly it felt like it was going to explode out of his chest. "Wait… I can explain..."

He examined the room in deliberate detail, not missing a single minutiae, much like a detective would a crime scene. Without a word from Ryuji, he understood full well what happened. Pinching his brows tightly together as he sighed, he said, "Please tell me you didn't send the message."

The only response was a lone gulp.

"Who did you send it to?"

"I don't remember."

"Do you remember the number?"

"N-no dude, I'm sorry…"

Before any more words were exchanged, Akechi stepped forward, his hand placed over his chest. "I apologize, the dare was my idea so the blame lies with me. If you'd like to know, the message we sent was, 'You have the most beautiful eyes in the world.'" Then, as a show of remorse, he bent his body forward seventy degrees, flattened his hands just above his knees, and performed a standing saikeirei. "Please, forgive us for destroying your phone, Akira-san."

Seeing this deeply reverent gesture, Yusuke immediately followed suit, followed by Ryuji, whose form was between awful and inexcusable. Morgana, who was unable to perform such a bow, simply lowered his head in shame.

Akira blinked curiously at his friends' actions, then blushed. "Uh… you don't have to do that, you know…" he said, awkwardly reaching for the nape of his neck. "As long as none of you are hurt, it's fine. I can just get a new phone."

The others quickly returned to their regular postures, though Akechi gave one final bow of his head to show his gratitude. "Thank you, Akira. And I'm sorry once again, we took this game too far."

"Yes, it was immature of us to tamper with your personal belongings in such a manner. Please accept my humblest of apologies," added Yusuke.

"I promise I'll make it up to you, Joker!" Morgana meowed. "Promise!"

When it came time for Ryuji to apologize, he remained completely silent. He stood still as a pillar of salt, his eyes focusing on the floor where the broken phone once laid. "Akira…"

"It's really okay," assured Akira. "It's not that big of a…"

"No, it's not that," he interrupted. "I didn't send that message Akechi told you I sent… I sent a different one."

Akira blinked.

"What's the meaning of this?" Akechi snapped. "I thought we agreed to only write what Yusuke gave as an example because we didn't want to put Akira's personal life in jeopardy."

"I know, I know!" Ryuji cried, shaking his head in disbelief. "I-I changed it at the last second because… because I thought it would be funnier if I wrote somethin' else. I'm really sorry man, I was going to erase it. But then Mona and I had a scuffle and I…" He swallowed audibly. "I accidentally sent it to someone, and I don't know who it was..."

A frightening chill crept down each of their spines.

"What did you write?" Akira asked, his voice more pressing than before. "Ryuji? What was it you sent in that text?"

"I'm sorry..."

"Ryuji..."

Averting his gaze, Ryuji clamped his hands. Arms shaking, legs locked, breath shallow, he answered, "Akira… I wrote… I sent to a random person on your contacts list…"

Akira didn't know it at the time, but the three words Ryuji had sent would change his life forever.

"' _I love you.'"_


	2. day two - priestess i

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> in which akira tries to ameliorate the situation and fails spectacularly

 

**priestess i**

* * *

**_October 30, 8:32pm  
Shinjuku_ **

If he had to describe her makeup, it would be Elizabethan goth meets Flash Gordon.

Billowy red eye shadow plumed the rims of her lids. Liner dark as midnight framed her striking crimson gaze. Four lacquered layers of carefully applied mascara pronounced her long, butterfly lashes.

And yet what he was captivated by most was the demeanor of utter self-confidence she exuded. Through the certainty of her tone, one devoid of any stuttering or pauses, and the directness infused into her stare, like her intent was written clearly upon those scarlet hues, she seemed like a completely different woman than the skittish, closed off girl who had invited him out to dinner earlier that day.

After several long seconds filled only by the clatter of their silverware clinking against their porcelain plates, she spoke to dispel the tension.

"I hear the weather is nice this week. It would be a perfect time to visit Inokashira."

He nodded wordlessly into his entree.

"Would you like to go with me after classes end tomorrow?"

For the first time that night, he met her eyes head on. Blood rushed to his head as he inhaled the last noodle of his pasta carbonara to its very end.

_Sluuuurrrrrrrrrp… pop!_

As its tail whiplashed backward so fiercely that it nearly struck his glasses, he caught a glimpse of her lush neckline, which exposed her elegantly dimpled collarbones and the cusp of her creamy bosom. Seizing himself in the act, he returned to her face.

Her high-arched brow cambered temptingly, knowingly.

"I'll have to look at my schedule," Akira wiped his mouth into his napkin, anxiously fingering the hem of his sleeves beneath the silky tablecloth. Hazy and distracted, he audibly gulped to regain what little of his composure remained.

"Of course." Luscious pink lips spread into a flirtatious smile as she leaned forward in her seat, further accentuating her generous cleavage.

It took everything within him to focus on those limpid red pools set before him instead.

"You know, I've had a wonderful time with you tonight, Akira," she said, her words ladened with temptation. Her velvety voice barely breaking a whisper, she leaned so closely he could practically feel her hot breath tickling his cheek. "But I've been wondering about something. Lately, you've been acting differently around me. What was it you wanted to say to me earlier today? Was there something you wanted to tell me?"

To think that only yesterday night, he was playing a simple game of truth or dare...

* * *

_**October 29, 11:28pm** _   
_**Cafe Leblanc** _

"This is all your fault, Ryuji!"

"Don't put this on me, you dumb cat! If it weren't for you jumping on top me like some kind of rabid animal, this never would've happened!"

"I just wanted to see what you were texting, you shouldn't have been so stingy with the phone!"

"I told you I'd show you after I was finished! You always do this, you never listen to anything but that stupid, conceited mouth of yours!"

"I'm surprised a fat monkey like you knows what the word 'conceited' means, let alone knows how to use it in a sentence! That new zoo in Shibuya must have some  _amazing_  trainers!"

"Why you dirty little…!"

Akira tensley chewed his bottom lip. Of all the messages to write, Ryuji had to send one of just those three words.

_I love you._

He groaned deeply. Even he, as socially closed off as he was, knew those words couldn't be thrown around so recklessly. This was going to be a headache to fix.

"They squabble like headless chickens," Yusuke reproached.

"It's really not that big of a deal," said Akira, trying unsuccessfully to hide his irritation. "It's just a broken phone."

Noticing Akira's rigid body language, Yusuke placed a comforting grip on his shoulder. "While I do not make allowance for their callow bantering, I fear the situation may be more dire than you reckon, Akira. I cannot justify why I feel this way, but I sense that tonight will be the root of much distress for you in the near future."

His actions were completely opposite of his words, Akira thought. He wondered if the painter had ever tried cheering someone up before. "For my sake, I hope not."

"Indeed, my friend." Removing his hand, Yusuke calmly continued, "Now, seeing as you were unable to complete your dare, perhaps I could offer you another?"

"I'm not going to pose nude for you."

"Are you truly so uncomfortable with the thought of exposing your bare body that you would turn down the opportunity to eternalize yourself in my portrait?!" he spat, instantly shattering the briefly fabricated air of tranquility.

Akira sighed. "They have pictures of naked men online, you know."

A glint of frenzied excitement twinkled in Yusuke's steely greys. "Truly? And where could I procure such pictures?"

Akira stared over his shoulder and blinked repeatedly, realizing the gravity of his words. "Uh… maybe I shouldn't have said that."

"Akira, please!" Yusuke begged. "You cannot deny me your loins and then refuse to reveal to me the whereabouts of these nude men!"

That was a phrase he never thought he'd ever hear spoken aloud. "We really need to teach you the meaning of phrasing, Yusuke."

Between Akira's absurd conversation with Yusuke and Ryuji's seventh argument that day with a cat, Akechi was at his wits' end. With a loud, "Enough!" he brought the room and its occupants to silence.

All attentions were now focused on him.

"It hardly matters who's fault it is now," he said, straightening out his disheveled collar with a stern tug of his tie. "What matters is the hand we've been dealt. Check your phones, all of you."

Ryuji lifted a brow inquisitively. "Huh? Why? What good will that do?"

"You didn't know the number of the individual you sent the message to," said Akechi. "Seeing as Akira has messaged us in the past, we know he had our numbers on his phone. Thus, we can conclude you might have sent the message to one of one of us."

"Ah, good deduction, Akechi!" Morgana squeaked. "No wonder they call you an ace detective."

"Ace detective my ass. Anyone coulda come up with that," Ryuji muttered between his teeth, arms coiled begrudgingly over his chest.

"Your words are too kind, Morgana," Akechi beamed, Ryuji's snide comment going unheard. "Now all of you, please check your phones."

"Well, I don't even have a phone," said Morgana. "So I guess you can count me out."

"I got nothin' on mine," Ryuji replied.

"I have received nothing as well," added Yusuke.

"And neither have I," Akechi concluded. "So none of us received the message. This means that it was sent to another person outside this room. Akira."

The black-haired Phantom Thief's brows twitched as he straightened in his seat.

"Do you know all the individuals whose numbers are on your phone?"

"Yeah."

"Then we know it was one of them," Akechi reasoned. "Do you think it would be hard for you to explain everything to them?"

"I mean, it's a little embarrassing," Akira hummed, scratching the side of his nose. "But like I said, it's not a big problem. I'm sure they'll understand."

"You should probably tell them in person, you wouldn't want to cause further confusion over the phone or through another cryptic text," recommended Akechi.

He agreed. "Yeah, you're right. It'll be annoying to schedule without my phone, though."

"Right… My bad," Ryuji murmured guiltily.

"In the meantime," said Akechi, turning to face the others. "It would be best if the details of what occurred here tonight did not spread outside of this room. We should allow Akira to handle this on his own and not cause more needless strife. Understood?"

They nodded their heads in unison, then stared at Ryuji.

Noticing their stares upon him, Ryuji snorted loudly out his nostrils and shouted, "Hey! What're all of you lookin' at me for? What he says applies just as much for you guys as it does for me!"

It appeared that Akechi's plan removed the lingering doubt within the room as the boys let out a singular, mental sigh of relief.

"My, what a troubling night this has been," said Yusuke, cradling his forehead in his palm.

"Yeah, I'm totally exhausted. Wanna grab a bite to eat before I head out, dude?" Ryuji asked Akira, stuffing his hands in his pockets as he rose from his chair. The others followed suit.

Akira opened his mouth to decline, but found Morgana answering for him instead.

"We should probably pass, Akira. You have school tomorrow after all," the cat replied.

"I mean, we all got school," Ryuji stated matter-of-factly.

"Yeah, but he's actually trying to earn high marks and learn to better himself, not barely pass by like you." He stuck his tongue out childishly and flicked his tail against the other's face.

Annoyed, Ryuji swatted it brutishly away. "Hey, have you ever heard of the word unchill? Because that  _literally describes you_!"

Not wanting to stick around for yet another installment of Family Feud, Akechi politely parted, "Well anyway, goodnight Akira-san. Thank you for having us over, and for throwing this welcoming party for me. It was truly an eventful evening." After providing a slight bow, he smiled and headed downstairs.

Huffing sharply, Ryuji readjusted the straps of his backpack on his shoulders and called out backwards, "Night man! See you tomorrow in class. Ah uh... sorry again about your phone."

And lastly, a simple, "Farewell, Akira," from Yusuke as he followed Ryuji and Akechi down the staircase.

"Remember to lock the front door on your way out," Akira reminded.

He nodded. And then, moments later, he too was out of sight.

"Akechi-san," said Yusuke, his voice distant. "Do you happen to know of any websites with pictures of nude men on them?"

"E-eh?"

The bells of the entrance jingled as the front door shut tightly as a vacuum seal. Sighing exhaustedly, Akira let out an airy whistle as he collapsed onto his mattress like a felled tree, bringing his arms over his shoulders and gathering his hands behind his head. The ethereal, off-yellow glow of the back alley street lights filtered like bent fractals into his room.

As his half-lidded eyes lazily traced the chestnut brown outline of the windowpane, he felt a familiar presence curl up beside his feet. Staring down his bed, he caught a pair of luminescent blue eyes fixated upon him. He smirked. "Shall we go to sleep?"

Wide-eyed as a deer in headlights, Morgana kept his gaze focused solely on Akira's. "In a bit," he started, his tone apologetic and soft. "First, I wanted to apologize. I'm really sorry about today. I let my feelings for Ryuji get in the way of things, and I ended up damaging your phone in the process… But gosh, he can be such a  _butt_  sometimes!"

He smirked and reached down to squeeze the nape of the feline's neck. "I know. But he's our butt."

"Mmm, I guess you're right," Morgana purred contentedly, pressing his cheek into the side of Akira's palm. "Sometimes I keep forget that you're the same age."

"We have our differences," he began.

"You can say that again," Morgana interjected.

"But we're both good at our own things."

"Right, like how Ryuji's really good at screwing everything up."

"Morgana," chided Akira, his inflection low and scolding. Between constantly reprimanding him and Ryuji, he was beginning to feel like the caretaker of two henpecked husbands.

"It's not mean if it's true," Morgana quipped.

"You should be nicer to him."

"Why should I?" he cried with a shaky timbre. "He always treats me like a cat, calling me hairball and furball. He doesn't think I'm a real member of the team. And he talks so crudely with Lady Ann in the room! I'm a way more useful member than he is!"

"It's not a competition. You two have to get along eventually."

"I don't have to get along with him, I just have to suffer through him."

Akira shrugged. He wasn't going to convince Morgana, nor was he going to undertake such an endeavor on a school night. "Well, it's your choice I guess." With that, he rolled onto his side, leaning his head into his portending left arm and closing his eyes.

"... Akira?" Morgana chirped after some time had passed.

He opened one of his lids. "Yeah?"

"Would… I mean, would you still be my friend if I were a cat?"

Akira briefly sat up. "Of course."

"Okay, good," Morgana replied. "I was just curious, that's all. Sorry to bother you."

"Do you not think you're human anymore?"

"No, no I'm definitely human!" Morgana protested, his misgivings clearly conveyed by his staunch opposition. "It's just… I've been thinking. If I can never return to my human form and I'm stuck a cat forever… would you still want to be friends with me? I mean, I'd be just a cat. A stupid, dumb ball of fur..."

Akira cast a sympathetic gaze toward his companion. "I cherish you Morgana, of course I would always be friends with you." He scratched him behind the ear with his pointer and middle fingers.

His words seemed to lift Morgana's mood, as well as his petting. Beaming warmly, he replied, "Thanks Akira. That means a lot to me."

"Of course." With one final scratch, he patted the cat on the head and retreated to his sheets. "Goodnight, Morgana."

"Sweet dreams, Joker."

For several minutes, Akira stared blankly at the dilapidated grey plaster of his ceiling, his eyes picking apart the contrasting splotches which had grown discolored from rain damage. The small variances between the colors were hardly recognizable, but if one paid close enough attention, he could see the years of wear and tear evident in the multiple layers of paint coating. He began counting them. One layer, two layers, three layers… he hadn't even reached double digits before he fell fast asleep.

At the same time, Morgana released a high-pitched yawn and nuzzled his face into his furred paws. Softly, deftly, he felt the weight of slumber pool over his eyelids. Warmth enveloped him like blankets of diaphanous silk. Furling delicately around him, he was brought to the edge of consciousness. One by one, the connections between his mind and reality were severed, until at last the grasp of night overtook him. His final, nebulous thoughts charted the course of his day as they swirled into the realm of nighttime fantasies.

* * *

 _**October 30, 7:51am  
** _ _**Shibuya Station** _

It was 7:51am, and Makoto Niijima was exactly where she needed to be.

Magisterial in posture, her hands were gathered clasped in front of her as she stood unmoving in wait, eyes forward, back straightened. Her tactfully ironed school's uniform did not have a single misplaced thread, and her hazel locks, cut in precisely even strands, fell straightly over her forehead. Her nails were short, fastidiously clean, and filed into perfect half ovals. One might have mistaken her for a young business woman given her stature and austere attitude, but in reality, she was a third-year at the prestigious Shujin Academy, and to her, stateliness, decorum, and punctuality were, above all, the keys to success.

Unfortunately, the subway system couldn't say the same. An influx of mental breakdown cases across the country had left Japan's public transport in ruins, and the Ginza Line, the epicenter of these incidents, was especially crippled. On some days, a train's arrival could be delayed anywhere between ten minutes to an hour, and considering how she had been waiting at the Shibuya Station for the better of thirty minutes, she was starting to believe it was leaning towards the latter.

Rigidly, she bent her arm and checked her watch. 7:52am. The backup must have been particularly bad today, she thought. Maybe there was another accident. She checked her watch again. 7:53am. First period started at 8:30am exactly. She had never been late before, and she wasn't planning on starting any new habits. Watch. 7:54am.

"Shiiiit, don't tell me I missed the train? Ah crap, what am I gonna do! Kawakami's totally gonna kill me if I'm late again!"

A familiar voice. Her dead set attention was momentarily drawn to the whining yellow haired boy to her right. She blinked as she quickly recognized its origin. "Ah…"

Feeling that he was being watched, Ryuji cast a cursory glance to his side and spotted his admirer. "Hm? Oh, yo! Niijima-san!" he waved, sauntering gawkishly over to her. "What's up!"

His behavior slowly melted the coldness of her exterior, as the sides of her lips gradually tugged upward into a smile. "Good morning, Sakamoto. I see you're running a little late."

"Well, I'm not technically running late if the subway's also running late, right?" he reasoned, rubbing the underside of his nose with his index finger. "Anyway, how's it going? I usually don't see you on the subway. How was your girls' night out?"

"I usually take the 7:20am train from Shibuya to Shujin, but it appears that it's been heavily delayed today," she explained. "And it was very fun, thank you for asking. How was your boys' night in?"

"Ah you know, it was whatever. Sucks that you girls couldn't be there, it was weird welcomin' Akechi to our group without the whole group there."

"I must sincerely apologize to him for that," she confessed. "We had this planned several weeks in advance, I didn't predict that Akechi would be joining the Phantom Thieves."

"It's whatever, I'm sure he'll get over it. Anyway, you girls do anything exciting?" he grinned.

She chuckled, "Exciting is such a strange term to use when we're living second lives as Phantom Thieves. But yes, we walked around, ate at the diner, and spent some time on Central Street before heading home."

"Wow. Real exciting," he uttered, voice dripping with sarcasm. "Almost as fun as watching paint dry."

"It was a new experience all the same, so it was exciting for me."

"Ah that's right, you don't usually go out much, being the student council president and top of the honor roll and all that junk." Ryuji crossed his arms and nodded in understanding. "It was probably a nice change of pace from cooping yourself up in your room and studyin' all day."

"It was definitely different," she agreed. "I'd almost forgotten just how many stores there were in Shibuya, and we didn't even visit half of them."

"Oh yeah, you guys went on a shopping spree together. Heh, I bet Takamaki had a blast with that, she's great at spendin' money on clothes and food. And in general."

Makoto's complexion seemed to deepen as she recalled the previous night. Closing her eyes, her brows knitted as she spoke, "Yes, she was very… passionate. 'Shop 'til you drop,' was the term she used, I believe."

"Or as I'm guessing in this case, 'shop 'til your friends keel over and die.'"

"I could barely keep up with her, she was like a woman possessed. My feet were still sore this morning."

Ryuji hooked his hands on his hips like a cowboy. "Yeeeeah, that's Takamaki for you. Won't let a one-sided debt you owed from elementary school slide, but will run to the ends of Japan for a sale on chocolate truffles and fresh manju."

"If I recall correctly, didn't you promise you'd pay her back for that dolphin and never did?" Makoto teased.

Ryuji's eyebrows practically disappeared into his hairline. "Y-you still remember that?"

"Everyone remembers the aquarium trip and how you fell into the stingray petting zoo, Sakamoto."

Ryuji's expression sank with an embarrassed grimace. "Glad I'm so unforgettable."

She giggled, her face softening into a smile as she raised her brows, an unspoken invitation for him to continue.

"I mean, I was only like six at the time. How was I supposed to know there wasn't any glass over the exhibit?" He banished the topic with a dismissive wave of his hand. "Anyway, more importantly, how'd you guys convince Futaba to come out with you? I've never seen her anywhere besides Leblanc."

"Well, the thing is," Makoto began, her tone circling the answer. "She only technically came… and I mean that literally.."

Ryuji's nostrils flared. "Huh? What's that supposed to mean?"

"She fitted a tablet with some of her tech and told us to carry it around Shibuya to show her around," she clarified. "When we went to the mall and got dinner at the diner, she was there with us to see everything. All while lounging in the comfort of Boss' house."

"So she pretty much Skyped into your girls' night out. Classic Futaba."

"Though that's hardly the nicest way to put it, I suppose it's correct nonetheless," Makoto admitted.

He shook his head. "Man, that girl is so weird… Still, I'm surprised you managed to convince her to hang out with you guys at all, she's usually shut in her room all the time. Not too different from you though, I guess. Heheh."

Makoto playfully scoffed. "Rude."

"Aw come on Niijima-san, I was only teasing."

"Hmph." Her lips broadened even wider. "Well anyway, I was glad that she came out at all," she continued. "It was mainly thanks to Takamaki-san, she kept pushing for Futaba to hang out with us, saying things like how it was a once in a lifetime opportunity, how it would help her grow, how she'd have a great time. I guess Futaba eventually felt comfortable enough to trust her with at least a tablet."

"Yeah, that makes sense. Ann's a real catch. Even if you don't like her, you can't help but want to. She's pretty, she's kind, she's thoughtful..." He chuckled, "Y'know, I wouldn't be surprised if Akira sent her that message without havin' to be dared…"

The sudden mention of Akira's name caused Makoto's chest to stir with adoration. A shiver rolled down her spine as her body tightened, her arms fastening to her sides and her feet clamping together by the heels.

Ever since he transferred to Shujin Academy, Akira Kurusu, the mysterious, noble delinquent of 2-D, had been the James Dean of Makoto's high school experience. Whenever he passed her in the hallways, her knees grew weak. Whenever he cast her a glance, her body grew stiff. Whenever he spoke to her directly, her breath grew thin. He was a bad boy in the politest sense of the word, an idealist who rebelled against the inequities of society. He was the one who brought her out of her shell and introduced her to a world of new experiences.

In her mind, Akira Kurusu was to her what  _Gone With the Wind's_ Rhett Butler was to Scarlett O' Hara.

Well, at least before the end of the novel.

Undoubtedly, Makoto was deeply infatuated with Akira. But it was the second half of Ryuji's sentence that particularly grabbed her attention. "Message?" she pried curiously, lowering her eyes and wrinkling her forehead. "Akira sent 'that message' to Ann? What message?"

Just as Ryuji opened his mouth to explain the situation, his eyes widened in horror.  _"Shit, not again!"_ This was the second time in two days that Sakamoto had spectacularly bungled an operation. He knew he had to salvage this in whatever way he could.

Clamming up like a scallop, he stuttered, "Oh… oh! I-It's nothing! There's no message! Well, I mean there is a message but… Er, just don't worry about it, Niijima-san! A-and definitely don't worry about if Akira comes around to talk to you about something. He's uh… he's doing it with everyone! A-anyway, gotta go! See ya later!"

Makoto watched as Ryuji scampered off in a hurry. Lips pursed in deep thought, she carefully played his words over in her head, a line appearing between her brows.  _"Ryuji said that he wouldn't be surprised if Akira sent 'that message' to Ann. He looked very concerned after he said it. Perhaps he wasn't supposed to let me know about it. Could 'that message' mean…?"_

Before she could solidify her thoughts, a monotonous voice rang over the speakers.

"Now arriving at Shibuya Station. Please stand back from the platform."

Absentmindedly, she waited for the subway doors to open and crammed herself, along with dozens of other passengers, into the train. They stood straight like sardines in a can until the car was completely filled to the point where they required security pack in the last remaining passengers to ensure the doors could close. Again those thoughts raced in Makoto's head. That message… that message…

"Er, h-hey, Niijima-san… Crazy to see you here..."

Makoto glanced over her shoulder. It was none other than Ryuji standing behind her. Like all the other riders, he was squeezed tightly into a sea of people and was mere millimeters from touching Makoto's face with his own.

"Hello again, Sakamoto…"

Embarrassed by the proximity of their bodies, she averted her gaze to her feet and tried to camouflage her oncoming blush. Everyone suddenly jerked forward as the wheels of the subway began rolling slowly forward, and Makoto found herself practically pressed up against the blonde.

This was going to be a long ride.

"So uh… right…" he trailed off. "Nice weather we're havin'...?"

* * *

_**October 30, 11:48 am  
Shujin Academy** _

" _Ay, dios mio…_ No no, class, it's  _in-ev-it-a-ble_ , not  _unenviable_. Say it out one syllable at a time with me.  _In…_ "

The ride to school left much to be desired. Makoto hoped that after parting ways with Ryuji, she would be able to focus on school. However, his earlier words had left an impression in her mind. The meaning of 'that message,' the nervousness he exuded, the mention of Akira and Ann… was she perhaps overthinking things? Makoto was not one to worry about such petty gossip, but when it involved Akira...

"Niijima-san."

It would make sense if he liked her. After all, Akira did spend a great deal of time with Takamaki after school, sometimes with Ryuji, sometimes alone. She thought of them as friends, but given the circumstances of Sakamoto's actions, she had to reconsider that stance.

"Niijima-san."

" _If I could just ask Sakamoto what he meant by 'that message,' then everything would be so much clearer."_

"Niijima-san!"

Makoto jumped in her seat. Sitting up imperially straight, she shook her head and quickly turned her attention to Ms. Chouno in the front of class.

"Now, if you're done staring off into space," she hummed. "We're waiting for your answer, Niijima-san."

Her face began to darken as red as a beet. "I'm sorry… I don't believe I heard the question," she replied, sinking into her chair in shame.

Ms. Chouno clicked her tongue against the roof of her mouth in disapproval. "Tsk tsk tsk. Student council president or not, I will not accept inattentiveness in my class. Please pay attention more in the future, Niijima-san."

"Yes, Ms. Chouno," she answered weakly, eyes boring holes into her empty desk. It was the first time she'd been caught daydreaming in class at Shujin. She felt utterly humiliated.

"No way, was Miss Prez spacing out?" whispered a voice from the back of class.

"Honor Roll Nijiima wasn't paying attention?" said another. "What kinda hope do I have in this class if even  _she_  can't be bothered to learn the material!"

"This must seriously be a first."

"Ohmigosh, just look at how red her face is getting!"

Just as the murmurings began, Ms. Chouno harshly smacked a flat palm against the chalkboard, causing the whole class to jolt to attention. " _Silencio!"_ she shouted. "Just because I am not speaking directly to you doesn't mean you can freely squabble amongst yourselves! This class is for learning English, not gossip! Now then, does anyone have the answer?"

The babblings of the room dissipated into scattered coughs and whistles. No one seemed capable, or willing, to answer the Ms. Chouno's question.

"It's a gerund," someone suddenly responded from the back. All necks rapidly whipped around to see the origin of the voice. "Most verbs can be turned into nouns by adding the 'ing' suffix. They're called gerunds."

Ms. Chouno clapped excitedly. "Yes, exactly right, Takamaki-san! Excellent answer."

No sooner than she answered the question did the room once more erupt with secretive susurrations.

"Wow, I can't believe Takamaki-chan got the question right…" hushed one of the boys beside Makoto.

"She's only a second year and she's taking third-year English," said a girl in the front.

"She's a model and she's smart… think I have any chances with her, dude?"

"Nah man, she's always hangin' out with Sakamoto and that exchange student. She definitely likes bad boys."

"Isn't she from America?" hummed another boy.

"No, she's from Finland," replied his friend.

"But she speaks English?"

"Yeah, really well."

"That… doesn't make any sense."

Ann Takamaki was a second year at Shujin Academy. A foreign exchange student and a part-time model, for many of the boys, she was the spitting image of beauty. Beautiful blonde hair, a curvy, hourglass physique, and long, slender legs, she was like an ancient Greek statue of Aphrodite come to life.

She also happened to be one of Makoto's closest friends. The two were both members of the Phantom Thieves, and they often met after school to study, fight injustice, or simply spend time together. Up until today, their friendship had gone off without a hitch, each comfortably understanding their own weaknesses and flaws and admiring the other for their strengths.

But for one tiny, brief sliver of a nanosecond, Makoto felt a twang of jealousy.

"Anyway, that's all the time we have for today," Ms. Chouno spoke. Even though the period hadn't ended, everyone began noisily packing up their things into their knapsacks. "Remember, read chapter 18 for tomorrow and come to class with the homework prepared, just the odd questions between 1 and 30, Section A. We might be having a pop quiz on the material, so learn it thoroughly!"

Collectively they groaned. Then, the bells rang, and the low, reverberating bellow of desk legs dragging against old wooden floors clogged the classroom with din as the class stood up to leave.

Makoto was one of the last to leave the classroom. She moved lethargically, her mind still distracted by the fact that she was caught inattentive in the middle of class.  _"What's going on with me? Why am I getting like this all of a sudden?"_  she thought inwardly, clutching her notebook tightly to her chest.  _"Why am I so distracted? Is it because Akira sent 'that message' to…?"_

She didn't make it further than three steps out the door before she heard a voice calling her name.

"Hey, Makoto, wait up!"

Glancing behind, she saw Ann, whose notes were scattered messily in her arms, tailing after her, a wide, doe-eyed smile spread across her face.

It was infectious, to say the least.

Finding her own lips curling into a smirk, she glowed, "Hello, Ann. How's school been for you today?"

Ann offered a wide, closed-eye grin as she walked alongside Makoto. "Great!" she cheered. "Akira, Ryuji and I were sending each other notes all during history, we barely learned anything at all. Probably a problem, but nothing a bit of last minute cramming can't solve! Also, Ryuji sent me this really funny meme too, the one with the guy sprinkling salt all over things. It was like… ah, what was the caption again? Hehe, I'm laughing just thinking about it. Here, lemme find it, it was actually so funny."

Makoto chuckled at her eagerness. "That's okay, you can send it me later. I'm sure it's really funny."

"It really was! I can't do it justice by just talking about it, I have to show it to you. I almost laughed out loud in the middle of class, the teacher was wondering what was happening with me. I promise you'll think it's hilarious!"

"I'm sure I will." As she motioned to check her phone, her sights turned to the time. 11:54pm. "Shoot," she buzzed, swiftly sticking her device into her handbag. "I'm sorry Ann, I'd love to stay longer to talk, but I have to get going to my next class. I'll see you la-..."

"Oh wait!" Ann interrupted. "Your next class is P.E., right?"

Makoto nodded.

"Perfect! Let's walk together, I have class on the other side of the gymnasium."

That worked, she supposed. "The more the merrier."

They hurried side-by-side down the hallway, a slightly more urgent jump in Makoto's steps. For every two steps that she took, it seemed Ann only needed to take one. Glancing over at the blonde, Makoto suddenly felt a sharp pain in her abdomen. It was like a dense stone sitting in the pit of her stomach that weighed her down. Soon, she felt as if she were taking three steps for every one of Ann's.

"You know, I've been working out with Ryuji recently," Ann stated merrily. "I've been trying to get better at running."

Makoto gritted her teeth behind closed lips. Why was she falling behind? Four steps to Ann's one.

"Whenever we go into the Metaverse, I'm always so impressed by how much stamina and strength everyone has, especially you! I realized that if I wanted to make myself more useful, I should also be training in the real world, too!"

Her breathing became labored and her insides felt like they had been completely rearranged. Five to one.

"Maybe you could teach me some of your tricks, Makoto-san. I mean, if you have the time to. I know you're really busy, so I don't want to bother you or anything."

The stone in the bottom of her belly had become a full blown boulder. Lugging around the painful pressure like a worthless weight, she struggled to keep up with Ann. Six to one.

"Makoto? Are you alright?"

Ann stopped in her tracks, her expression stuck with worry for her friend. When Makoto turned to face her, the pain in her abdomen only intensified. Those twin blonde tails, that cordial smile, that buoyant voice... it made her feel... sick.

"I'm fine."

Starting up her pace once more, Makoto suddenly felt the pain in her stomach disappear. It was replaced by a deep, sinking regret. Why was she treating one of her best friends like an enemy? Was it because of what Ryuji said at the Shibuya Station? Was it because she was afraid that Akira would like Ann more than her?

"Anyway," Ann started, trying to keep a conversation going. "Wasn't last night so much fun? Exploring Shibuya, shopping for clothes, and most importantly, eating anything we wanted!"

Makoto immediately recalled the piquant fragrance of crispy street takoyaki, browned golden to perfection, and mouth watering grilled yakitori. The memories of her laughing alongside Haru, Futaba's tablet countenance, and Ann, who carried Futaba around, overwhelmed her with guilt. Ann didn't deserve this. Even if she did like Akira, and even if Akira liked her, she should have been happy for her friend, not spiteful.

"Mmm, just thinking about it makes me so hungry," Ann murmured. "We should do it again sometime! I really had an amazing time with you."

"Yes, that's an excellent idea," Makoto said plainly, her mind adrift with the thoughts of how to reconcile her feelings for her friend and her crush.

Once again, Ann's face contorted with concern. "Is everything alright, Makoto?" she asked with tensed brows. "You seemed a little distracted in class today, and you seem a little distant now. Is there anything I can do to help?"

"No need to worry about me, everything's fine," Makoto objected, feigning a smile.

But Takamaki didn't buy her act. Lips scrunched together, she tapped her finger against them until an idea came to mind. "Well, maybe we can go to Shibuya after school today to help fix that!" she exclaimed. "I'll ask Haru and Futaba too, we could make it two girls' nights out in a row! Wouldn't that be so much fun, I'm getting excited just thinking about it!"

"I'd love to, but unfortunately I need to stay home to study. I have two quizzes tomorrow in English and math and three homeworks to complete."

"Ah, you'll do just fine on those quizzes! And you'll probably breeze through those homeworks during study hour in no time," Ann persuaded, circling around her like an excited puppy. "Come on, let loose a little, Niijima-san! It'll be fuuuuun, I pinky promise! Hanging out with you is like... I don't know. It's like hanging out with the older sister I never had!"

Makoto's hardened heart suddenly cracked.  _"Like the sister I never had,"_  she reiterated in her mind.  _"She really does love you like a sister."_ Smiling in earnest now, she replied, "Thank you for the invitation, Ann, but I'll truly have to pass." There was a momentary pause as she considered her next words. "... But I really do appreciate your efforts in trying to spend time with me. I think I'm just a little stressed right now with everything going on in school and with the Phantom Thieves. But once this week is over, I promise I'll go out with you. We're best friends after all, right?" She offered her a bright, sincere beam to ameliorate her worries.

Ann warm countenance brightened. "Right! And it's okay, I understand! We can just hang out some other time!"

The weight in Makoto's soul lifted. Whatever feelings of jealousy she held for Ann, she resolved not to let it get in the way of their friendship. "I can't wait. Now, we should really hurry. I wouldn't want you to be late to your class, too."

"Oops! You're right! Let's go!" With a little hop to her step, Ann walked beside Makoto, their steps matching one for one. "Anyway," she began with an exaggerated simper. "Did you see the way Nagai-san was staring at you after class? I think he's  _totally_  interested in you!"

Makoto's face lit up like a Christmas tree. "What? That can't be right."

Ann's cheeks dimpled. "Hehe, what are you talking about! You're pretty, and smart, and responsible. Guys love that!"

With her ill intentions set aside, Makoto chatted gleefully with Ann the remainder of the way to class. And none was the wiser.

* * *

_**October 30, 12:32pm  
Shujin Gymnasium** _

"Come on Makoto, pick it up! You've got to climb faster! Faster!"

Even though she was the most physically capable of the Phantom Thieves, Makoto was never good at the climbing rope. Her hands would always get burns and bruises from mishandling it, and the bulky, straw-like knots that littered its length were difficult for her to properly grab onto. She only made it about two thirds of the way up before the instructor called up to her from the bottom of the rope.

"Alright, that's enough! Come down!"

Makoto swore under her breath. She was sure she would reach the top this time. Sighing deeply, beads of sweat rolling down her forehead, she slowly descended from her height, frustration visible on her face.

"Good effort Niijima, keep working on it. You'll get to the top one day at this rate."

Even if he didn't mean for it to be a condescending remark, it certainly sounded like one.  _"I'll get to the top one day at this rate?"_  Makoto bit her bottom lip.  _"How long will it take 'at this rate' anyway? I'll just have to work harder at it, I suppose."_

As she ruminated over her situation, she heard a pervasive, deafening cheering coming from the other side of the gymnasium.  _"Hm? What could that possibly be?"_  she wondered. Walking to the middle of the massive hardwood court, she brushed aside the curtain that delineated one part of the gym with the other and peered into the other half.

To her surprise, it was Takamaki sprinting back and forth between two marked cone lines. It seemed that the second years were taking the pacer physical fitness test, which required an individual to sprint the distance between the cones over a progressively shorter and shorter period of time. Only, there was no one else taking the test, only Takamaki.

"You can do it, Ann!" cried one of the girls from the crowd. "Beat that record!"

"No way, is Takamaki seriously going to break the women's pacer test record for the school? That hasn't been broken in like, six years!" exclaimed one of the guys.

"There we effin' go, Takamaki! You better break that shitty record right here 'n now!" called Sakamoto, his face lit with excitement.

Makoto swallowed a knot in her throat. When did Takamaki get so good at sprints, she wondered? She always thought Ann was eating junk food and neglecting her health. How was it possible for her to improve so much?

"That's one-hundred and four, Takamaki. Two more and you break the school record!"

Seeing Ann running like this made her feel inferior. Just what had she been working on these past few months? How had she improved so little by comparison to her? Not just physically, but emotionally and socially? She had been working every day to go out more, to go to the gym, to raise her self-confidence. And yet Ann, who was a year younger, already felt miles ahead of her.

"One more, Takamaki. Just one more!"

Despite the bagginess of her gym clothes, Ann's body radiated sheer beauty. Her elegant gazelle-legs were on full display as she pranced back and forth during each sprint. From the taut curves of her toned calves all the way up to the soft, supple skin of her thighs, they were the perfect combination of seductive and graceful. Her face, though dripping with sweat, had an expression of determination that was both alluring and empowering.

She wasn't miles ahead of her. She was leagues ahead.

The gymnasium suddenly roared with screams and applause.

"YES! Ann, you're AMAZING!"

"Oh my gosh, Takamaki actually broke the record!"

"No way, Ann did it!"

"Seriously? She's pretty, smart,  _and_  athletic? What doesn't she have?"

"There we effin' go, I knew you could do it!"

"Ann! Ann! Ann!"

Her peers encircled her in a wide mosh pit. Showering her with praise, they helped her up and surrounded her like moths to a flame, drawing closer to her as if her talent would rub off on them. Takamaki laughed wearily and turned to hug Ryuji, who yelled praises from the top of his lungs to the other second years.

She looked so happy.

Makoto felt a deep pain gradually build in her chest. She had never received the same recognition as Takamaki did, despite her achievements. She had no one to share her accomplishments with, no one who cared about her successes. When others saw her name at the top of the class rankings after exams, they would shoot her deathly, icy glares. No one cheered  _her_ on. No one told  _her_  she was amazing. Even around her classmates, she felt surrounded by strangers wearing familiar faces. Because in the end, in her mind, no one truly cared about Makoto Niijima, the useless, eavesdropping student council president.

It hurt to be forgotten.

"Impressive," said a voice suddenly beside her.

Curiously turning to face it, Makoto's heart skipped a beat.

"Oh, Akira-san," she said meekly, caught entirely off guard by his presence. "It's nice to see you."

He nodded. "You as well, Makoto."

Looking over Ann, who was being swarmed by her classmates, Akira thought of the best way to bring up the texting situation to Makoto.

" _What should I say,"_  he contemplated silently next to Makoto.  _"Something along the lines of: hey, if you got any weird texts last night from me, I'm sorry. That wasn't meant for you, it was… no, no that implies it was actually meant for someone. Bad idea, Akira, really bad idea. Keep thinking..."_

Makoto, who was also overlooking Ann at the same time, mistakenly believed that Akira was thinking about the blonde, his gaze lost in her beauty. She couldn't help but notice how deeply in thought he appeared, as evidenced by his lowered brows and tightened jaw.  _"So it's true, what Ryuji said,"_ she sulked inwardly.  _"Akira really is interested in Ann."_

" _You're a great girl, you are, but I'm actually not interested in anyone right now…"_

" _I guess I should have seen it coming. They spend so much time together, and she was one of his first friends here. I just wish I'd gotten the opportunity to tell him how I felt."_

" _I'm sorry, I'm taken. Yusuke and I are lovers and we're going to sail away together to Venice on a gondola."_

As Makoto stood in silence beside her crush, a sudden resolve quaked within her. Why was she pitying herself? She was intelligent, and beautiful, and kind, and resolute. She had awoken to her Persona in Kaneshiro's palace and proved the resilience of her justice. Her worth to the Phantom Thieves was invaluable, and they were lucky to have her. She wasn't a second placer any longer, she was her own woman.

She was done living in other people's shadows.

" _I won't let this go,"_ Makoto thought to herself.  _"I've allowed too many opportunities pass me by because of my inability to act. If Akira hasn't asked Ann to be his girlfriend, then it's not over yet. I'll just have to tell him how I feel. How I really, truly feel."_

" _Okay, I guess that's the best approach I can take with this,"_ Akira finished pondering to himself.  _"Let's just hope this doesn't blow up in my face."_

"So," Akira finally began after what seemed like an eternity. "You're looking well today."

Makoto offered a weak smile, her hands trembling from what she was mustering the strength to say. "Thank you, Akira."

Clearing his throat, he continued, "If you don't mind and have some time, I wanted to ask you something."

"Actually," Makoto intervened, staring up longingly at him. Her deep red gaze met his cool, grey gaze. "I wanted to speak to you about something as well."

"Oh?" Akira hummed. "What's on your mind?"

She gathered her breath.

" _Okay, here it goes. Be strong, Makoto. Just ask him right now. No turning back."_

She inhaled deeply.

"Akira-san…" Makoto started, still holding her eyes upon his. Her mouth opened, but her lips seemed incapable of forming the words.

Akira leaned in to hear her better. "Yes?"

She watched breathlessly as he closed the distance between them. The world was moving in slow motion, the stars aligning in perfect unity. It was as if Akira knew what she was going to say and wanted to give her the perfect, romantic opportunity to say it. It was his desire for physical intimacy that gave her the courage to speak.

"Would you… would you like to go on a dinner date with me tonight?"


	3. day two - priestess ii

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> in which akira unwittingly agrees to a date and receives a message from a mysterious caller

 

**priestess ii**

* * *

_**October 30, 12:40pm  
Shujin Gymnasium** _

His stomach twisted.

Whether it was extrasensory perception, premonition, or just gut instinct, Ryuji was suddenly overcome by a brick-wall sensation of dread. Running from the nape of his neck to the soles of his feet, it felt like currents of electricity pouring into his limbs, numbing him to catharsis.

And just as quickly as it swept through his body, it dissipated.

As if he experienced a sudden rush of blood to the head, Ryuji lost his balance and propped himself against a wall for support.  _"What the eff was that?"_ he thought.  _"Was that deja vu or something?"_

Desperately, Ryuji tried gathering his thoughts, his complexion tightening and the commotion of his peers dulling into white noise. What was this sudden feeling that overcame him? That strong, powerful chill that rolled down his spine? His thoughts swirled like the eye of a maelstrom, his mind wracked into a hazy stupor. He began to recall his surroundings. He was in a gymnasium, and there was some kind of contest, and Akira…

"Hey Ryuji," shot out a voice from his right. "What's wrong? Not gonna celebrate my victory with me?"

He lifted his head.

A stupidly large grin, a pair of cerulean blues, and a stunning complexion greeted him. Standing straight with her hands hooked on her narrow waist, her right hip jutting out flirtatiously, Ann Takamaki stuck out her tongue and pestered, "Come on, what happened to that boundless energy you were mentioning earlier? Don't tell me that was all talk."

Ryuji thinned his gaze and snorted churlishly. "As if. I'm just not feelin' myself right now, that's all."

"Oh? And why's that?" Her hands gathered on the shallow of her back.

"Because I'm just not," he stated, "Now stop gettin' on my case."

Her brows pulled together and her voice lessened. "You sure? You had me worried when you suddenly left. Is there anything you want to talk to me about?"

Ryuji's complexion softened as her svelte tones reached his ears. His arms, which were coiled defensively over his chest, gradually began to lower. But just as he was about to speak, he heard several of their peers call out from behind her.

"Hey, Takamaki-san! What're you doing over there with that loser Sakamoto? Come hang out with us!"

"Yeah Takamaki, don't you know that he's bad news?"

"Ew, why is Sakamoto talking to Ann? Does he like, like her or something?"

"I think they're friends or something… I bet she pities him."

"Hey, if Sakamoto is good friends with Takamaki, do you think I have a chance too?"

"Dude, I told you last time, you have  **zero**  chance with her. Period!"

Ann briefly glimpsed the ogling crowd, then offered Ryuji a sympathetic look. She knew about his reputation at the school, and truthfully, until the incident with Kamoshida, she had done nothing to ameliorate his image. A twang of guilt rose in her chest.

"Ryuji…"

He let out a short, guttural grunt.

"Nevermind," he said. "It's nothing."

Ann sighed. "Come on Ryuji, those guys don't know what they're talking about. You know you're one of my closest friends. And if you're not feeling well, you can tell me. You can always tell me anything."

She was right. He knew Ann ever since they were children, and she was a good, honest soul. He really did feel like he could comfortably say anything to her.

However, even if he wanted to speak, he reasoned that if he talked about his issues to her, he might reveal Akira's secret again. It was better this way, he thought. "Yeah right," he grumbled. "As if I'd admit anything to you, blabbermouth."

Ann did not take his rejection so lightly. "Hey! What's that supposed to mean? I'm not a blabbermouth, I wouldn't ever tell anyone anything you told me."

"I mean, the one time I told you what was up, you basically told the whole school about it."

"What are you talking about? I'd never do anything like that to you."

"Oh yeah? Remember that one time I fell on my ass in recess and got my pants all dirty?" he said. "And when I told you about it, you said that I'd pooped myself to all the other kids?"

Ann intently looked up and to the right. Then, she sputtered in disbelief. "What!  **That?!**  That was in fourth grade!" she yelled. "Are you still seriously holding onto a grudge over that?"

"Hey, you weren't the one getting called Mr. Poopy Pants for the rest of the year!" he shouted back.

"Fourth grade, Ryuji!"

"It was a seriously traumatic event, I don't know if I can trust you again!"

"I was nine!"

"So was I!"

"Ugh, you're such an idiot!"

The two huffed and spurned the other with crossed arms and lowered gazes. Then, simultaneously, their eyes met, and they couldn't help but feel their frowns bloom into laughter.

"It really did look like I pooped myself though," Ryuji admitted with a grin.

"And the look on Ms. Yamamoto's face when I told her about it was priceless," Ann added.

"She called my mom and everythin', I thought I was gonna get grounded for a year."

"You were crying in the principal's office and telling me how much you hated me."

"And you looked like you were gonna cry too when you got called down with me."

They smiled and glued their eyes on the floor once again. Ryuji combed a hand through his thicket of dyed hair, and Ann rubbed the back of her wrist.

"I'm glad you wanted to be my friend again, Ryuji," Ann said solemnly.

Ryuji looked up. An expression of remorse crossed Ann's face. "You don't have to say that."

"But I want to say it," she continued, not looking into his eyes except for a short flash. "It wasn't fair of me to ignore you like that. You were hurting, and I didn't do anything. I'm sorry."

Ryuji wrenched his gaze from her and hung his head. He floundered for an appropriate response. After Kamoshida broke his leg and the track team was dissolved, Ryuji became the outcast of Shujin Academy. Ann, who had been his friend since childhood, slowly distanced herself from him. She didn't want to be seen associating with a troublemaker, a problem child, in high school. Her reputation was on the line. It wasn't a pretty truth, but there was no way to varnish it otherwise. So far, they had managed to skirt around talking about the issue. It was an elephant in the room that both of them understood existed, yet neither acknowledged. But she just had to bring it up in this moment, when he was feeling the least prepared for this talk.

He grabbed onto his left wrist and idly rubbed it with his thumb.

"It's okay Ann, it's in the past."

Ann checked his eyes. They weren't on hers. "Okay," she replied knowingly.

A blanket of silence quilted them, muted only by the clamor of their classmates on the other half of the gymnasium.

Then, Ann spoke. Only it wasn't quite the words Ryuji was expecting.

"Is that Makoto? What's she doing over here?"

Upon hearing Ann's words, Ryuji whirled his head around and glanced at where her eyes pointed. His pupils shrunk into dots when he saw who Makoto was with.

" _Oh shit, Akira!"_

There was no time to waste. If she was talking to him, especially now of all times, he could only surmise one possible conclusion. As nonchalantly as he could muster, Ryuji began taking measured steps backward in an attempt to bring their conversation to a close. "Hey, uh, it was real nice talkin' to you Ann. Let's grab dinner sometime soon, okay?"

She looked at him curiously, her head tilting at an angle. "Hm? What do you mean?"

"Oh, uh, nothing," he sputtered, his steps hastening. "Anyway, see you later! I'm gonna… er, I'm just gonna talk to Akira real fast! I just remembered we totally made plans for tonight, and I need to make sure he knows about them. Later!" He cut his hand from his forehead to salute farewell before breaking into a sprint.

"Hey, Ryuji! Where are you…?" Ann called after him. By the time the words left her mouth, he was out of reach. Warring emotions crossed her countenance with kaleidoscopic swiftness. With a final, resounding huff, she muttered, "Hmph… Idiot…" and returned to her sea of fair-weather idolaters.

* * *

_**October 30, 12:45pm  
Shujin Gymnasium** _

Like the embers of a stoked fire, her eyes flickered excitedly.

Her pulse pounded in her throat. Staring up reverently at Akira, whose countenance tightened with contemplation, she could only imagine what profound thoughts raced through his mind.

" _Will he say yes?"_  she wondered, examining the crease of his lips, the slight dip of his gaze.  _"Or is he thinking of a way to let me down easily?"_

There was a time when Makoto Niijima believed the man she would fall in love with would, like a checklist to fulfill, meet a series of stringent requirements. Yet standing face-to-face with Akira, she understood love was not like a question seeking to be answered, but the feeling of being swept away. It was the feeling of knots in your windpipe, of butterflies in your stomach.

It was the feeling of being wanted.

She watched his abstracted face, seeking his answer in those framed eyes.  _"Even if he says no, at least I've finally told him how I feel,"_  she thought. But naturally, she sought an answer that reciprocated her feelings for him. For that, she could only wait for his response.

And judging by the time it took for him to reply, he was surely caught in a deep, unresolved conflict.

" _... Do I have to pay for her dinner if I say yes?"_

The expenses Akira incurred as the leader of the Phantom Thieves — equipment, medical, and otherwise — devastated his budget beyond repair. No amount of Ryuji's offerings of instant ramen or Yusuke's class paintings were enough remuneration to pay him back. And while he certainly would have enjoyed going out to dinner for once, he sincerely doubted his ability to cover for himself and Makoto. It seemed he would have to suffer another night of microwaved leftovers.

His stomach growled.

" _... Maybe if I don't bring it up, she won't either."_

Pushing his glasses up his face, Akira coolly placed his left hand in his pocket and reiterated, "A date?"

The lone word caused Makoto's heart to skip a beat. "Yes," she replied, swallowing her nervousness. She hadn't prepared anything to say in the event that he answered yes. And despite her quick wit, she was left speechless as he stared on at her, as if he were waiting for more of a response. "A date."

Akira's imperious stare forced her into a trancelike state where time ran backward, backward to the time she first met him and all she could remember was the hot sensation of a blush biting her cheeks. It took her back to the time that she fell slowly in love with him, and then all at once.

Hands clasped limply together in front of her, Makoto took one step forward and, as if the words spilled from her mouth, began to speak. "I know it seems abrupt, but I've been meaning to ask you on a date for quite some time."

Makoto noticed that Akira did not avert his gaze. Staring at her like he did that day he walked through the front entrance of Shujin Academy, he waited patiently for her next words.

Again the pounding in her chest returned. She mulled over these words for so long, had imagined herself saying them to him for the longest time. Yet when it was no longer a daydream, but reality, she froze like an amateur actress who'd forgotten her lines on stage. Another swallow, followed by a deep, calming breath.

"You see, Akira, I've wanted to ask you on a date because I…"

"Hey! Akira, what's up!"

A cutting voice interrupted Makoto mid sentence. The short hairs on the back of her neck prickled. She recognized that familiar, irreverent timbre anywhere. It could have only come from one person.

"Hello, Ryuji," Akira replied. "I'm doing well."

"Nice, nice to hear," Ryuji stated with a makeshift grin. He walked stolidly past Makoto, sticking himself between her and Akira as if she were invisible, and grabbed onto his shoulder. "Gym's almost over, right dude? We should probably head back to the locker rooms to change, don't wanna be late for our next class."

Makoto's expression quickly sank. It was painful to be ignored, especially when she was so close to expressing her innermost feelings to Akira, and even moreso when it was her closest friends who were treating her like a forlorn pillar of salt. But it was evident in her mind from Ryuji's arrival that Akira was not interested in her proposal. He just needed a way of letting her down easily, she thought.

" _Maybe it's for the best,"_  she resigned.  _"After all, we're both Phantom Thieves. It would only get in the way of our duties if we had romantic feelings for each other. It was foolish of me to think otherwise."_

Her eyes fell weakly upon Akira's countenance as he faced Ryuji, who appeared to be whistling tunelessly between his teeth as he waited for the former's reply. What was taking Akira so longer to answer, she wondered. Why wasn't he heading out with Ryuji already?

"Okay," Akira finally responded, relaxing his posture. "I'll join you once I'm done talking to Makoto."

Her brows immediately lifted and her body unfolded like a budding rose. Did she just hear him correctly, she wondered, staring in disbelief.

Ryuji looked just as shocked as Makoto. "Huh? Whaddya mean, dude?" Leaning forward with a tight, neck strained smile, he asked under his breath, "Don't you think it'd be a good idea to hit the road now before you get asked the question by  **you know who**?" His head ever-so-slightly jerked in Makoto's direction with each of his last three words.

"Like I said, I'll join you once I'm done talking to Makoto." It seemed by the lack of concern on his face that he understood the position he was in… or was completely oblivious to it. "Now, if you don't mind Ryuji, you're standing in the way of us."

Ryuji gnashed his teeth. Looking behind him, he recognized Makoto's presence and, feigning his earlier ignorance of her existence, exclaimed, "Oh? Oh hey, you're with Niijima-san!" He restlessly rubbed his shoulder and offered a sharp smile. "Hey, Niijima-san! I didn't even see you there. How are uh… how was your ride in to school?"

Makoto stared at him as if he were wearing a long-sleeved sweater on the hottest day of summer. "We took the same subway, Ryuji."

The mention of the truth had Ryuji stammering. "I-I don't remember any of that. Must've been someone else pretendin' to be me… or something."

The quizzical expression on Makoto's face remained, now peppered with a hint of concern. "Are you alright?" she asked. "You seem rather flustered. Are you dehydrated?"

Her questioning galvanized him into an excessive fit of laughter. Ryuji grabbed his hips and leaned back, boisterously guffawing, "Hahah! Me? Flustered? Never! Hah! You're so funny, Niijima-san." Then, trying to change the subject, he turned, "Anyway, do you wanna grab some grub tonight Akira? I was thinkin' we could go to Ogikubo and stuff our faces with ramen."

Akira shook his head. "Sorry Ryuji, I have plans with Makoto tonight."

Makoto studied Ryuji worriedly, only peripherally aware of Akira's reply. It wasn't until she replayed his words in her head that she swiveled to face him, eyes wide. "Akira, you're…?"

"Wait, f-for real?!" Ryuji stuttered. Staring between Makoto and Akira, he croaked, "I mean, sure! For real! That sounds totally swell."

"Indeed," Akira replied.

The three exchanged uncomfortable, prolonged glances.

"A-anyway," Ryuji eventually concluded, "Have fun you two. I'll catch you guys later." Like a dog being reprimanded by its owner, he tucked his tail between his legs and motioned to leave.

"Wait, Ryuji," Makoto called out as he started walking away. "Are you sure you're okay? You're not feeling sick, are you?"

Hands gathered coolly behind his head, Ryuji shrugged, "Nah, I'm all good."

She lifted a brow. "Truly?"

"Yeah, really," he groaned. "You're overthinking things, Niijima-san."

Makoto's pursed lips gradually relaxed. "Okay," she said. "Please take care of yourself, Sakamoto. It's important that you remain healthy to keep on top of schoolwork, as well as your Phantom Thief duties. I'll text you later to check up."

"Psh, whatever mom," he remarked dismissively, before leaving Makoto and Akira to their previous devices.

With Ryuji gone, Makoto turned to face Akira. This time, however, the engulfing anxiety she felt when talking to him earlier was encumbered by her concern with Ryuji's wellbeing. "Is it just me, or is Sakamoto acting rather strange today?" she asked, scratching her cheek inquisitively. "Come to think of it, he seemed agitated at the station too."

"Station?" Akira asked.

Makoto nodded. "I met Sakamoto earlier today at the Ginza transfer. He appeared fine at first, but then he started behaving very oddly, even more so than usual." She sighed and pinched her temples. "I hope he's okay. I really should have asked him to go to the nurse's office before he left. Maybe I should text him to do it now..."

Akira hummed thoughtfully. "Don't worry, Ryuji's tough. He'll be fine."

"Well, he is quite resilient…"

"It's sweet of you to worry about him."

The compliment brought Makoto back to the plane of reality. She looked away, dreamily curling a lock of her hazelnut hair between her index and middle fingers. "Oh, it's nothing," she admitted. "It's part of my job as student council president to ensure the safety and well-being of all students at Shujin Academy."

Makoto's face grew hotter the longer she noticed Akira gazing down at her. Arms pulling into her chest, she blankly watched the floor, only occasionally peering up to meet his eyes.

"Did you mean what you said earlier?" she inquired. "That you wanted to go on a date with me?"

"Yes, I was actually thinking of suggesting it earlier."

Her heart stirred with a thousand feelings, each in itself a complete bewilderment that could not be explained through words. "Really?"

"I wouldn't still be here if I were lying."

Makoto felt weightless, like the gravity on Earth had suddenly vanished. It was surreal. Even in her dreams she could not have fantasized such a bow-tied, fairytale resolution.

"Akira, I've been meaning to ask you out for a while now, to tell you how I feel," she murmured. "I was always afraid that you wouldn't reciprocate my feelings. Yet you were thinking the same thing as I was all along."

"I'd have gone out with you any time if you'd asked me, Makoto."

If one looked into those bright red eyes, they'd see all the stars in the sky.

"Akira…" Makoto hushed lowly.

"Yes?"

Her actions betrayed her thoughts as she caught herself moments before pouring out her heart. "Oh. Um, I'm sorry, I was just… Nevermind," she apologized. Focusing on the empty space between them, she questioned, "So… what time are you free?"

"Whenever you are."

"How about 7:30pm?" she offered. "I know a small place in Shinjuku that takes reservations. I'll make them and call you to let you know?"

"Unfortunately," he huffed, "My phone is broken."

Her mouth formed a silent 'oh.' "In that case, how about I come to  _Leblanc_  at 7:00pm and we go together?"

"Sounds fine to me."

She smiled. "Okay, perfect. That's perfect."

"Mhm."

A long, protracted silence spun itself out. Makoto felt her breath clogging her throat, and she coughed to allay the building awkwardness.

"I heard about your boys' night in yesterday from Ryuji," she began. "Did you have a nice welcoming party for Akechi?"

Akira's face wrinkled. "It was… different."

"Oh? How so?"

"We learned a lot about each other. Maybe too much." He bobbed his head. "But it was also nice."

"What was the most interesting thing you found out?"

"Well, besides Yusuke's propensity for nude men…" he said, voice faltering into an inaudible whisper.

"Hm?"

"Oh, nothing," he curtly dismissed. "If you actually believe it, Ryuji has a crush on someone."

Makoto arched a brow. "Really?"

"He wouldn't say who it was, only that we were familiar with the person and that she goes to Shujin Academy."

She wrapped her arms around herself and held her chin pensively. "Curious. I always thought he was too involved with his own personal growth and physical health to have a crush on anyone at our school."

"I was just as surprised. But I've thought about who it could be, and I think I've pinpointed it down."

"Really? Who is it, in your mind?"

"Someone who's kind, who's fun to hang around with, and who's beautiful." He forked his fingers through his untidied hair. "But mostly, someone who can hold his attention."

"Are you referring to Takamaki?"

"Perhaps," he acquiesced. "They've known each other the longest of anyone in our group. But I think he sees her like a sister. I don't think he's interested in her romantically"

"Then who could it possibly be?"

"Maybe it's you."

Makoto's stared at Akira in visible shock. "What? Me? No, that couldn't be," she asserted. "He thinks I'm just a bookworm. He's always teasing me and calling me names. And besides, he always addresses me formally as Niijima-san. He doesn't think much of me other than being his teammate."

"He teases you, but I think he also respects you a great deal. You're everything I described in a girl that Ryuji likes." He offered a sustained gaze, followed by a smile which dangled off the corner of his lips.

Her face flashed crimson with embarrassment as she played with the hem of her thigh high athletic shorts. "Thank you, Akira. That's too kind of you to say."

"It's the truth."

Before she could reply, the sudden blare of the school bell reverberated across the high ceilings. Upon hearing them, the other students filed out of the gymnasium like ants. Makoto chided her timing. How desperately she wanted to stay here with Akira, frozen in this moment. But she knew class wouldn't wait for her, and with great regret, she began distancing herself from him, taking delayed, mousy steps in the hopes of artificially lengthening their time together.

"I suppose I have to get to my next class," she hushed, feet shuffling across the floor. Every step away from him felt cold.

"No worries," he said with a slow smile. "We can talk more tonight, and about anything you'd like."

She grinned warmly. "Yes, you're right." Another bashful glance at her toes, followed by a hand gliding through her dark brown tresses. "Okay then, I'll see you tonight, Akira."

"You too, Makoto."

"I'm really looking forward to our date," she chimed.

"Take care."

"Okay, you as well."

And with that, Makoto exited from sight.

* * *

_**October 30, 1:00pm  
Shujin Locker Room** _

The locker room was filled with as much ruckus as one would expect from a congregation of teenaged boys. Like the New York Stock Exchange, they shouted and jeered over one another in an amalgamation of methodical chaos. Splayed out clothes, shoes, and equipment littered the benches and floors, like spatterings of ketchup on a toddler's bib.

Akira angled himself through the gaps of the crowd, every so often being bumped here and there by a negligent classmate. Keeping his head low and his body tucked into itself like a stuffed jack-in-the-box, he avoided any kind of movement or speech that could be construed as communication. In this jungle, his only goal was to be in and out as quickly as possible.

When he finally reached his locker through the throng of gangly bodies, he let loose a deep exhale and expanded his limbs to occupy what limited free space he had available. He leaned into his combination lock and precisely began turning the dial in measured circles. 22-45-6…

The abrupt, redounding clash of an open hand smacking against the locker just to his left jolted his attention and botched his attempt. Akira's eyes enlarged as he was suddenly put face-to-face with his vociferous blonde haired friend.

"Dude, what the eff was that?" Ryuji cried, his tone savagely pettish. His teeth were bared and clamped, and frustration leaked through his expression into his voice. "I was tryin' to bail you out, but you just dove head first right in! What were you thinking?"

Akira leaned into his locker. "I appreciate the help earlier with Makoto, but I had to accept."

"Whaddya mean?" asked Ryuji. "You coulda just come to dinner with me instead of whatever Makoto wants you doin'. You just signed a death warrant for yourself."

"I guessed by your initial reaction to Makoto that you'd told her about the message."

Ryuji felt his body tighten. His expression immediately dampened, his shoulders slouched, and the accusatory tone of his voice vanished entirely. "Y-yeah," he gradually gulped, averting eye contact out of guilt. "Sorry about that. Again. That was my bad."

"That's why I'm going to dinner with Makoto tonight," he explained. "To nip this in the bud as soon as possible."

"Well, why didn't you just tell her about the message now?"

"I was going to right before she asked me out to a date," Akira said casually. "I figured I would tell her there instead."

Ryuji rapidly shook his head in stunned disbelief. "Woah woah woah, what? A date?! You're going on a date with Niijima-san?!"

"Yes."

"Are you out of your mind?!"

"No."

Ryuji slapped his hand onto his forehead and groaned. "Shit, this is way worse than I thought. I was thinkin' you two only agreed to a hang out session, and that she would ask you on a date  _there_! Guess she went right for it, jugular and all." Sighing into his feet, he continued, "But man, this is bad. You've made things a whole lot harder for you now. I woulda made more of a scene if I knew she asked you on a date! I only thought you were going out for something simple like boba tea…"

"Isn't that what a date is?" asked Akira, confused by his friend's visceral reaction.

"Y'know, for someone who does so well in school, you got a whole lotta nothin' up in there when it comes to girls," commented Ryuji, knocking his knuckles against Akira's forehead. "A date's when a guy and a girl are interested in each other and do something together to get to know each other better. It's not a get together between friends, it's a get together between two people who want to be  **boyfriend and girlfriend**. And you just agreed to go on a date with Niijima-san!"

Akira blinked heavily. For the first time in a long time, he felt an overwhelming pressure collapse onto his shoulders. The consequences of his actions had finally dawned upon him. He leaned deeper into his locker for support. Sheepishly, he held onto his arms, running his fingers across the sensitive gooseflesh which teemed his skin. "I've never heard the word used like that…" he whispered.

"You really are a country bumpkin," Ryuji reprimanded. "Everyone uses the word 'date' in a romantic context, at least everyone who's living in the twenty-first century. You really need to catch up on your lingo, dude."

Akira's brows furrowed. He bit his bottom lip so hard it nearly started bleeding. "What should I do then, Ryuji?" he asked. It was the first time he had ever asked Ryuji for advice.

"Huh?!" Ryuji lurched, stricken off guard by his question. "W-what? Why're you asking me! Aren't you usually the guy who always has the plan?"

"I've never been on a date before."

This was news to Ryuji. But he was too preoccupied with his own inability to handle the situation to properly assess his statement. "And you think  **I** have?!" he exclaimed. "This is like, totally uncharted territory for me! And you're goin' out with Niijima-san of all people, the student council president! You know, the same one who's smart, and gorgeous, and basically a pro at aikido? Even Captain Kidd couldn't sail through these waters unscathed!"

Akira's visage grew immensely severe. Clenching his jaw and standing upright, he made an upside down steeple of his fingers. Voice low and intense, he crooned, "I've made a huge mistake."

"Yeah, talk about it," Ryuji sighed. Pressing his foot heavily into the ground as if he were stamping out a cigarette, he proceeded, "Look, I'll call the others so we can hold an emergency meeting right after school. We really need to shape your ass up if you're gonna make it through tonight in one piece. What time's your date with Niijima-san?"

"7:30pm, but we meet at  _Leblanc_  at 7:00pm."

"Then I'll be at  _Leblanc_  with the guys around 4:00pm." Ryuji offered a charming, half-cocked smile and patted his friend on the back. "Sounds good?"

Akira exhaled. "Sounds good. Thank you, Ryuji. I appreciate your help."

"Don't thank me just yet," he smirked. "You're still up shit creek without a paddle. Anyway, I'll catch you later, dude. 4:00pm at  _Leblanc_ , I won't be late!" Throwing up two fingers as a sign of farewell, he sauntered out of the locker room with his backpack slung lazily over his shoulder.

* * *

_**October 30, 1:06pm  
Shujin Academy** _

A date with the student council president.

The more Akira repeated those words in his head, the more daunting everything seemed. He dragged his feet along the polished floors of the congested Shujin hallways, head practically bowed in capitulation. Like a spectre of his former self, the pinkness of his cheeks had faded ghastly white, his face appearing sunken in and gaunt.

" _How am I going to get myself out of this?"_  he contemplated.  _"What kind of stunt am I going to have to pull this time?"  
_

"Phew! Man, I hate gym class!" squeaked a lighthearted voice from Akira's backpack. Poking his head partially out of his confines, Morgana shook off his luxurious, matted black hair. "It gets so stuffy when you leave me in there. Plus, that locker room reeks like old socks! Talk about a gross encounter of the third kind."

Despite remaining in Akira's pack for the majority of the school day, Morgana retained his usual peppy attitude. Whether it was a byproduct of his curious, cat like nature or a result of his patience was anyone's guess. His tail wiggled back and forth as he craned his neck curiously to the side, examining the unusually downtrodden expression Akira carried.

"So, how'd asking Makoto the question go? Managed to straighten everything out?" he purred.

His words only succeeded in dropping Akira's mood even lower. "I have a date with her tonight."

"What?!" Morgana shouted. His piercing meow nearly attracted the attention of the other students. Taking a moment to regain his calm, he criticized in a whisper, "Isn't that the  **opposite** of what you're supposed to be doing, Joker? What if she was the one who received the message? How're you going to break it to her now!"

"The guys will be coming over later to help me figure this out," Akira replied, hands buried in his front pockets.

Morgana scoffed and flicked his tail haughtily. "Like you need any more of Ryuji's help. You should listen to me instead! I'm very knowledged with problems like these, you know."

"Have you ever been on a date?"

The feline's eyes shot open as large as dinner plates. "A-a date?! W-well no…" he momentarily stuttered before confidently continuing, "... But I've read a lot of books about dating! You could consider me a scholar on the subject."

"A scholar, huh?"

"Yup!" he meowed proudly. "A regular Leonardo da Vinci!"

Akira's lips tugged into a smile. "I think I'll take my chances with Ryuji," he teased, casting a sidelong glance at Morgana.

"Hey, that's hurtful!" Morgana complained. "You really think you're better off with that jar head over me?"

Akira chuckled, "I just think he has more experience than you, especially with girls."

"What!" he protested. "You take that back! I'll have you know I'm a well-regarded romantic!"

"Oh? And who can vouch for your escapades, Casanova?"

"Um, well, you see…" Morgana mumbled.

Even if Akira were under dire circumstances, he reckoned that so long as he had his friends, everything would be alright. After all, with companions like Morgana, Ryuji, Yusuke, and Akechi, what could possibly go wrong? Playfully, their voices intermingled with the ubiquitous droning of Shujin Academy's hallways, and they chattered the remainder of the way to class.

* * *

_**October 30, 1:07pm  
Shujin Academy** _

A date with Akira Kurusu.

The realization hadn't fully set in yet. As she walked past her classmates, she radiated with the afterglow of a beautiful, sunny autumn afternoon, a permanent smile staining her gracious lips. The warmth of her mirth swelled within her rosy bosom, and the sun streamed through every window to greet her. It was only when she settled into her window seat that she was struck by the full force of his words.

" _I'd have gone out with you any time if you'd asked me, Makoto."_

Like the thundering collapse of a wave wrested to the coast, everything hit her at once.  _"I can't believe that Akira agreed to go on a date with me,"_ she thought with an ear-to-ear grin. She hid her flowering face in her palms and laughed to herself, her cheeks almost in pain from her incessant smiling. It was all so warm, and nice, and fuzzy, like she was living in a dream. Nothing could possibly spoil today for her.

"You're looking in high spirits today, Miss Prez."

Makoto was suddenly plucked from her realm of fantasy as a familiar voice rung in her ears. Turning to face the black-haired girl to her right, she readjusted her posture to one befitting of a student council president.

"Hehe, look at you, all caught up in a daydream," the girl continued with a sly, toothy smile. "What's got  **you** jumping for the sky? Like, more letters of acceptance?"

Once Makoto discerned who was speaking, she returned the girl's wide smile with one of her own. "Hello Eiko-san," she greeted calmly, attempting to mute her happiness. "No, it's not that. I'm just in a good mood today."

She snickered and threw her legs over the side of her chair to face Makoto. "I can see that," she said, gesturing a curt nod. "But, like, what's got you smiling like a Cheshire Cat?"

There were two universal truths to Eiko Takao: that she always applied one too many layers of mascara, and that she was a legendary gossiper. All students of Shujin Academy knew if they ever needed the latest scoop, they could come to Ms. Takao for the details. Thus, despite being one of her closest friends outside of the Phantom Thieves, Makoto knew not to say more than what was necessary around her, especially when it regarded her personal life. It wouldn't be great to have her love life strewn about for all to see like a daytime soap opera, after all.

"Nothing in particular," Makoto replied, deliberately choosing her words.

Eiko's half-lidded eyes tightened. "Really, nothing in particular?" she repeated, her right brow cocking bemusedly. "Sounds awfully fishy." With a sudden leap forwards, she put her face directly in front of Makoto's and demanded, "Okay, spill the beans! What's like going on, Niiji-san?"

Startled, Makoto felt a bead of invisible sweat roll down her forehead, alternately hot and cold at once. "What do you-...?"

"Recently won the lottery? Found out you got a full ride to the university of your choice? Got a new dog?" Eiko pelted her with question after unrelenting question. But it wasn't until her last one that her bubblegum pink lips spread into a broad, wicked smile. "Or maybe you got a new boy toy?"

With that last comment, Makoto's cheeks peach-bloomed.

"Oh em gee, you totally  _did_  get one, didn't you?" Eiko shrieked, the secret practically bursting through her giddy squeals of joy. Hopping in her seat like a child offered candy, pestered ad nauseum, "Who is it! Who is it! Who is it! Come on, Niiji-san! Like, you have to tell me! Who is it!"

Makoto sank in her seat, her head retreating into her shoulders. "Eiko, not so loudly," she hushed. "You're attracting everyone's attention..."

"Who is it! Come on, you can tell me!" Eiko continued, completely deaf to Makoto's pleading. "Please, I promise I like won't tell anyone! Who is it!"

A moment of consideration passed. Telling Eiko a secret was a bad idea under any circumstance, but considering she was already aware of it and would not stop until she'd discovered it, Makoto hedged her bet on her friend's precarious loyalty. "Do you swear?"

"I swear!"

"Promise?"

Eiko gestured the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. "Cross my heart and hope to, like, die!"

Makoto sighed. It would have to do. "Okay," she said, her lips trembling as she materialized the words. "I'm going on a date with Akira tonight."

"Woah! What? Seriously, him?!" Eiko screamed.

All eyes in the room singled out the pair.

Like a robber caught in a spotlight, Makoto jumped in her skin. "Shh! I told you, not so loud, Eiko!" she buzzed, dipping her head low and looking away to remain inconspicuous.

Eiko clasped her hands over her mouth and remained silent as the grave until the pointed stares had gone back to their usual conversations. "Sorry!" she finally apologized when the coast was clear, rubbing the side of her neck vigorously. "But wow, I can't believe the student council prez is going on a date with the transfer student. Like, talk about a real case of Lady and the Tramp!"

"He's not a tramp, Eiko," Makoto flared sharply. "He's incredibly considerate and well-mannered."

"And he's also got a criminal record," she warbled gleefully. "Really fishing for those dark mysterious types, huh Niiji-san? Never woulda guessed our prez was such a magnet for bad boys, especially ones who break the law." As Eiko giggled, she careened her neck so that the side of her head rested in her palm. Staring directly into Makoto's gaze with her round, taletelling eyes, she sang, "You should have told me you were looking for a guy with a bad rep. Like, I could have set you up a long time ago!"

"Those were just nasty rumors spread by Kamoshida," Makoto dismissed. "And besides, I'm not into a specific type of guy. I'm only interested in Akira."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever," she mumbled offhandedly. Suddenly leaping up in her seat, she chirped, "So! Like, tell me the deets about this date! Where are you going? What are you wearing?"

"I was planning on going with Akira to  _Marais_  in Shinjuku. And I'm not sure what I'll wear yet."

Eiko stuck her tongue out in mock disgust. "Blugh, he's taking you out to dinner? And it's a French place, too? That's such a cop out."

A hint of worry sprinkled Makoto's countenance. "What do you mean by that?"

Propping her elbows on her upper thighs as she leaned forward, Eiko lifted up her index finger and started, "Okay, so like, all first dates are  _mad awkward_ , and dinner always makes it worse. You basically have to sit in front of this guy and talk to him for an hour straight and like hope the conversation doesn't fall flat, otherwise it gets even more awkward. Plus, you can't be sure if he likes the food and atmosphere or if he's just like pretending in order to cater to you." She shook her head with a tsk tsk tsk. "Can't believe he suggested such a, like, weird thing for a first date."

"But I was the one who suggested it, Eiko," Makoto confessed.

Eiko gasped. "Wait, you're like telling me  **you**  asked  **him** out on a date?!"

"Is that so bad?"

"Bad? It's a disaster!"

"How so?"

"Because it's like always the guy who's asking out the girl in the movies, not the other way around!"

"But this isn't the movies, this is real life."

"And what do you think movies are based on? Real life, duh!"

"I see…"

Eiko sighed for her simpleminded friend. "You really are a flunkie when it comes to romance, aren't you? When it comes to love, there's a  **super specific** formula you have to follow, that's the only way you'll ever really get a guy! You can't be genuine and, like, sentimental with guys and expect them to jump into your arms! You gotta be like standout, assertive, and in-your-face!" Grinning sultrily, she closed, "But most importantly, you need to be like wearing something totally  _scandalous_."

"Scandalous?" she echoed apprehensively.

Her head nodded so furiously her mop of jet black hair nearly snapped out of its pink scrunchie. "Yeah! Like a V dress that dives  **way**  too deep and shows off like everything, or a really flashy black chemise, or a mini-skirt that's really tight on your  **you know where.**  Oh! Or one of those caged dresses that shows off your bod! Guys go like absolutely  **gaga** for those!"

Makoto's brows drew tighter and tighter with each new term Eiko spouted off. "I'm afraid I don't have any clothes that fit that description," she said. "Will a black dress do?"

Eiko groaned at Makoto's hopelessness. "What time's your date?"

"7:30pm," she answered. "But I'm meeting him at his place at 7:00pm."

"Perfect! We can go shopping together after school and pick you up something nice!"

Makoto blinked copiously. "Are you sure that's a good idea?"

"Dolling yourself up to look gorgeous?" Eiko jeered with an arrogant sneer. "I mean, in what universe is that like a bad idea?"

Makoto weighed Eiko's words prudently. She did want to make an impression on Akira. But at the same time, she wanted to show him a genuine time, have them go out to a nice dinner together where they could talk about their feelings. She didn't know how she felt about all this spectacle. "I don't want to make dinner awkward between us," she finally conceded.

"You're not gonna make anything awkward, Niiji-san!" Eiko retorted. "You just gotta talk a little, then dazzle him with that amazing body of yours! Besides, aren't you two like buddies? You should totally be able to have a normal conversation with him even in a sexy dress, yeah?"

She hummed, "But I've never talked to him on a date, and he's hardly ever seen me in anything besides my school attire."

"Oh yeah?" Eiko replied sassily, lips flaring wide and her right eyebrow cambering. "How about that trip to Hawaii? Weren't you basically flashing yourself off in a bikini to him?"

Memories of their trip to Hawaii came flooding back, and her face become instantly scorching. "T-that's not the same!"

"Sounds about the same to me." With a slight wave of her hand, Eiko finished, "Anyway, don't you worry. I like figured you might have trouble talking to a guy on your first date, everyone has that problem. That's why I have a plan!"

"What kind of plan?" asked Makoto warily.

"You'll see," Eiko trilled, her voice sing-songy and giddy with excitement.

Before Makoto could say any more, the bell signaling the beginning of class rang. Immediately Eiko shot her a final, impish wink and straightened herself in her seat.

Makoto gulped. "I really hope you know what you're doing," she whispered as she faced forward.

As her peers quieted down and the professor began his lecture, her mind raced with all the possibilities before her. What should she do, she wondered? Go on the date the way she intended to, or take Eiko's advice and try to woo Akira through unconventional means? What was the right choice here? And what was the wrong one? Perhaps they were both right in their own way? Or could it be that they were both wrong?

She let loose one last deep, resounding sigh.

" _And I really hope I know what I'm doing, too."_

* * *

_**October 30, 1:24pm  
Shujin Academy** _

The minutes bled into one another, and the monotonous, mechanical tick of the second hand of the clock wormed its way into the forefront of Akira's mind.

Tick, tock, tick, tock.

He cast a cursory glance of the room. Morgana was sleeping soundly in his desk. The teacher was drawing a mathematical algorithm on the chalkboard. Ryuji was busily playing a game on his phone. And the rest of the students stared hunchbacked toward the front of the classroom, eyes open, but not truly learning anything of value.

Then, a sudden snapping of static as the intercom crackled to life.

"Akira Kurusu, please come to the main office immediately, Akira Kurusu to the main office immediately."

His muscles abruptly tensed.

The sounds of shifting seats and rustling clothes filled the room as all eyes turned to him.

And the only question he could bring himself to ask was,  _"What?"_

"What, are you deaf? To the main office, Kurusu," the professor finally called to break Akira's trance. He stuffed his face back into his lecture notes once he'd finished giving orders. "Now, if we look at example number three…"

Akira had only ever been called down to the main office once. That was at his old school, and the reason was expulsion. Generally, when something like this happened, it was because disciplinary action had to be administered as a result of some sort of misdemeanor. And seeing that he had come to Shujin Academy as a convicted criminal, he only had one strike before he was out.

Was he going to be expelled, he thought. Memories of having to leave his previous life drowned him in melancholy.

And just like the last time, murmurings began bubbling around him.

"Good riddance."

"Once a criminal, always a criminal."

"Do you think he stabbed somebody?"

"It was about time he was out of here."

It felt like a dozen icy stares bored holes into his back as he pulled out of his chair and stood upright. Grasping his knapsack, which Morgana had stealthily slipped into, Akira padded to the exit. His steps felt oddly heavy, and his movements resembled slogging more than walking. What possible reason could he have been called down to the main office, he wondered. A sickness churned in his stomach. Whatever it was, he surmised, it couldn't have been good.

"Yo Akira, what gives?" Ryuji worriedly whispered up to him as he passed. "Why're you gettin' called down?"

Akira stopped beside Ryuji and offered a shellshocked shrug. "I don't know. I didn't do anything."

"What? Then why are they calling you down? That doesn't make any sense."

"Come on, Kurusu," the teacher abruptly called before Akira could reply. Crossing his arms over his chest, he impatiently tapped his foot against the ground and barked, "Move it already. You're interrupting my class."

Obediently, Akira nodded. He wordlessly exited the room, leaving behind a cold class and an inexplicably distressed Ryuji.

As he walked down the lonely corridor, his footsteps making flat echoes, Morgana popped his head out of his knapsack to speak. "This is very odd," he began. "We haven't done anything that would attract attention to us. So then why are you being called down to the main office?"

Akira shook his head, still aghast. "I'm not sure," he answered quietly.

Seeing the dismayed state of his friend, Morgana yelled, "Hey, snap out of it! You're not going to be expelled, alright? You said it yourself, you haven't done anything wrong. And there's no way they know about the Metaverse. Just keep your cool, Joker. Everything will be okay."

With Morgana's words of encouragement, Akira composed himself. His back straightened, and his gaze, which was once stuck on his feet, now aimed straight forward. It wouldn't be like last time, he thought. This time, things were different. "Yes, you're right," he said. "Thank you."

The confident stride in his step returned as he headed for the main office.

* * *

_**October 30, 1:24pm  
Shujin Academy** _

It was only moments after the voice calling Akira to the main office played over the intercoms that Makoto's homeroom teacher decided to take a quick, two minute break. As soon as the door closed behind him, the class erupted with commotion.

"He totally got expelled."

"Ugh, what a pain. This is gonna make our school look even worse than it does already."

"You can't trust a guy like that, he was bad news from the start."

Her hand clamped tightly into a fist as she resisted the urge to sock the closest person to her.

"Looks like this might put a bit of a damper on your date, huh?" Eiko quipped.

"Now's not the time, Eiko," Makoto glowered. Suddenly, she felt a buzz in her pocket. And then another. And another. Reaching for her phone, she flipped open her Phantom Thieves chat and, surreptitiously, began reading it away from prying eyes.

 **Ann:** hey Ryuji  
**Ann:**  what's going on  
**Ann:**  why is Akira getting called down?  
**Ryuji:**  ur guess is as good as mine  
**Ann:**  omg you're so useless  
**Ryuji:**  that makes u just as useless too u know!  
**Ann:**  (；一_一)  
**Yusuke:**  What exactly is happening?  
**Haru:** Akira is being called down to the main office. I just heard it over the intercom.  
**Ann:**  Yusuke yeah he just got called down  
**Ann:** but no one knows why  
**Ann:**  rumors are already spreading in our class that he's getting expelled  
**Ryuji:** that doesnt make any sense  
**Ryuji:**  he didnt do anything wrong  
**Yusuke:**  Interesting. Perhaps there was an incident at home and he had to be called away? Futaba, have you heard Sakura discuss anything regarding Akira-san?  
**Futaba:** LMAO Akira got sent to the principal's office? xD  
**Futaba:** What a noob  
**Futaba:**  But nah I haven't heard anything from Sojiro, he's been working all day  
**Yusuke:**  I suppose we will just have to wait and see then.  
**Ryuji:** u guys worry too much hes fine  
**Ann:** yeah  
**Ann:**  you're probably right  
**Yusuke:**  In any case, it would be best for us to get in contact with him as soon as possible.  
**Ryuji:** but his phones totally broken  
**Haru:** Ah, no wonder he didn't reply to my earlier texts  
**Yusuke:**  That is true. Let us just wait then, and see what happens.  
**Ann:**  that's probably the best option rn

Before Makoto could read any more, the professor returned. Stuffing her phone in her front pocket, she sat forward in her seat and feigned attentiveness, her real thoughts turning to Akira.

" _Akira,"_  she inwardly prayed.  _"Please be okay."_

* * *

_**October 30, 1:28pm  
Shujin Main Office** _

"Hey. You're the second year, Akira Kurusu? Right?"

The desk attendant was nothing like he imagined. She was not aged and homely, with greying whiskers and conservative, skin concealing clothes. Instead, she looked only four or five years his senior. Her vibrant, bright blue faux hawk resembled the crests of those ridiculous dancing birds on the Discovery Channel. A stud on the side of her nostril and a pair of long, hoop earrings adorned her countenance. Plump lips slickened black as tar by makeup and wildly administered mascara gave her the appearance of a punk rocker. That and the fact that her garb comprised of a short plaid skirt, long, knee high socks, and a sleeveless black turtleneck, which fully revealed the tribal tattoos decorating her lithe arms.

And she was the first face one would see when entering Shujin Academy.

"Man, kids these days are growing up so fast," she hummed lazily, leaning back into her chair. Nonchalantly, she kicked her feet up on the front desk and closed her eyes. "Must be all the growth hormones in the food."

Akira studied the bizzare woman for a brief moment before replying, "I was called to the main office."

"Cool, cool," she rebutted. "There's a lady on hold for you, apparently it's an emergency and she needs to talk to you immediately."

His gaze narrowed. "An emergency?" He thought the reason he was called down to the main office would be because of his past crimes, or at least because of his connection to the Phantom Thieves. This turn of events only succeeded in confusing him further.

"What, you have bad ears?" she taunted. "Yes, I said it was an emergency. Now go on, scram. You're getting in the way of my beautiful view."

And speaking to this enigmatic desk attendant certainly wasn't helping either. Staring at her, then at the direction she was facing, he commented, "Isn't that just a view of the front gate?"

"Yeah. Reminds me that freedom's only a few steps away." She smiled at him, but it was perfunctory.

Akira was left scratching his head at this encounter. With a short nod, he said, "I'll take the call now."

She smiled, a big, fake PR smile. "Just down the hall. Have a wonderful day, champ."

* * *

_**October 30, 1:30pm  
Shujin Main Office** _

There was no delay in his movements. At once, Akira picked up the phone and put it to his ear. On the other end, he heard music. It sounded like jazz, but it wasn't live. Was it the radio? Besides the sound of a trumpet, there weren't any voices. Clearing his throat, he said into the speaker, "Hello?" and waited.

A long, seven second pause. And then a response. "You're hard to get a hold of, Akira Kurusu," said a woman on the other end. "Did you know that you made me wait nearly fifteen minutes? That's hardly any way to treat a lady."

"Who is this?" he asked brusquely. "Why did you ask for me?"

Another pause, this one shorter. "Because it was an emergency of course."

"Who is this?"

The sound of faint laughter. "My, my, don't tell me you don't recognize my voice over the phone. I thought I'd trained you better than this,  **Morumotto-kun**."

His eyes widened.

"Wait, you're…"

* * *

 **A/N:** Hello friends, hope you're enjoying the story. This section is going to be slightly longer than usual so that I can explain away potential confusion in the plot. But once again, I'd like to take a moment to mention that I really appreciate all the views, reviews, favorites, and follows you've given me. Your support is immensely appreciated!

The plot point I wanted to address in the chapter was Akira's misunderstanding of what a date was. While Akira is somewhat anti-social, it would be difficult for him, in English, to confuse the meaning of the word "date" since it so commonly used in regards to relationships in our culture.

However, in Japanese, the word for "date" is actually the same as the word for "socialize", which is  _tsukiau_.  _Tsukiau_ actually used to mean "to accompany (with no romantic connotations)", but as time passed, the formality of the word has relaxed and it is now used to mean "date" under certain circumstances. Akira, being from the countryside, used this  _tsukiau_ as it was originally intended, while Makoto, being from the city, used it in its relaxed definition. When he says he was thinking about suggesting a date earlier, what he really means is he thought about accompanying Makoto somewhere (as a friend!) to discuss the situation.

Furthermore, context is important for understanding what meaning of  _tsukiau_  is being used in a sentence, and since Akira is romantically oblivious, he does not understand that Makoto means  _tsukiau_  in a relationship way while he means  _tsukiau_  in an accompanying way. Just a fun tidbit of knowledge I thought I'd add in case people thought Akira was totally living under a rock.


	4. day two - priestess ii

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> in which akira is abducted from school and ryuji strikes out with makoto

 

**death i**

* * *

_**October 30, 1:32pm  
Shujin Academy** _

It was the hottest October in recent memory. The horizon rippled from the heat, and everything the sun touched wilted. The leaves hanging from the oaks by the school were dried brittle brown. Fields of yellowed grass curled sickly away from the oppressive light. Even the pond by Ichigaya began to evaporate, a faint line in the dirt indicating where the water had once risen.

Yet despite how warm it was, she remained in her car. Parked alone on the side of the street, a song played from her speakers. The sinuous tones of a lone saxophone trickled like water out her open windows. A breeze blew past her ears, and she drew in the cool, crisp taste of fall.

The volume of the saxophone rose as the song reached its dramatic climax. The trumpets blared, and the double bass, deep and measured, reverberated throughout the car. The drums joined in, then the clarinet, then the lead singer. What was once a single instrument weeping a somber tune had transformed into an impromptu harmony of melodies.

Just another reason why she loved jazz.

If she had to use one word to describe jazz, it would be "moving." The way it grasped her soul, captivated her in lyrical rapture – it elevated her beyond any other genre of music. It could be soft as the beating of a hummingbird's wings or loud as a lion's roar, slow as a lily flowing downriver or fast as the pelting of streaming rain on a rooftop. What artists like Tiger Okoshi and Masahiko Satoh made her feel in their chord progressions and swing rhythms could not be replicated by the harsh scratching of an electric guitar or the drop of a dubstep remix.

She blew a nostalgic whistle and leaned back.

" _Music these days just isn't the same."_

The song gradually decrescendoed to a steady close. Reality zeroed back in, and everything became a shade greyer. For a moment, she was so absorbed that she'd almost forgotten the reason she was waiting outside Shujin Academy in the sweltering heat. But hearing the static in her ear triggered her memory. She was on the phone with Akira Kurusu, and she needed him for a special task. Backtracking to her purpose, she spoke into her phone.

"Now that you've put the pieces together, my precious Morumotto-kun," she hushed, her sultry voice laced with venomous intent, "Be a good little test subject and come outside. We're going to be  _very_  busy today, and I don't want to waste any more time."

"Why did you call the school?"

"I tried your cell phone several times, but it went straight to voicemail. Did something happen to your mobile?"

"Ah... That makes sense," replied Akira. "But I'm in the middle of school right now. I can't just leave."

"I've already taken care of it."

Her words were met with a pause. It seemed like he was afraid of asking the question she knew he wanted to ask. "Taken care of what?" he finally remarked.

"School," she stated. "You've been given permission to leave early. Congratulations."

Though she could not see, she imagined his face wringing with surprise. "What does that mean?"

A self-absorbed grin graced her features. Extending her hand to nonchalantly examine her painted black nails, she said, "It seems that your poor, sweet auntie had a terrible accident and fell down a flight of stairs. They need you at the hospital right away. Fortunately, a friend of yours has so generously offered to take you there."

She knew he didn't have an aunt. And he knew she knew. "Just what are you planning?"

"All you need to know is that it's for a very important reason. You could even call it an emergency." She placed both her hands on the wheel and let loose a back curling yawn. "Anyway, I'll be waiting right outside the main entrance. See you in a bit, my dear Morumotto-kun."

And with that she hung up, leaving Akira with the cold, monotonous drone of the dial tone.

* * *

_**October 30, 1:34pm  
Shujin Academy** _

Akira clacked the handset phone onto its switch arms. He was stunned. No, shellshocked. A slew of questions circled his mind, like how did she convince the school with such a blatant lie, or why did she need him now of all times.

There was no use contemplating it here though, he concluded. The only way he'd get answers was directly from the horse's mouth. His hand gliding against the wall as he teetered to the exit of the main office, he spied the blue-haired desk attendant on the way out and briefly looked at her.

She, on the other hand, did not even lift her head to acknowledge him. With a disinterested, "Later," she returned to rubbernecking the front entrance with a cynical grimace.

He stared at the space in front of his feet and continued moving as if he were on autopilot. He walked through the main office door, down a flight of stairs, through the hallway, down a short set of steps, and before long, he was nearing the exit of the academy.

"Hey, wait," called Morgana. The cat squeezed his head out of Akira's knapsack. Given that he listened in to his conversation from the confinement of the bag, he was just as, if not more, confused as Akira. "Is everything alright? I thought I heard you talking about some kind of an emergency. What's going on?"

"It's fine," he said unconsciously.

"Who was it that called you?"

"A friend."

"Hmm. That's weird. They called you down to the office just so you could talk to a friend?"

"Yeah."

"What did your friend want with you?"

"Nothing really."

Morgana mewled at his lack of responsiveness. Noticing the direction he was heading, he pawed at the back of his head, "Hey Joker, you do know homeroom is that way, right? Where are you going?"

Akira didn't answer. He kept trudging along like a soldier to war, his thousand yard stare directed at the floor.

"Hey! Are you listening to me, Akira? Where are we going?"

"I have to go somewhere with a friend."

"Where?"

"I don't know." Upon arriving at the exit, he pushed past the heavy gates. Immediately he was buffeted by the humidity of the outdoors. Like diving into a sauna, he felt as if a suit of moisture had fastened itself directly to his skin.

"If that's the case," began Morgana, leaping out of Akira's bag. He landed gracefully on all fours and shook himself off from head to tail. "I'll be parting ways with you here. It's really hot out, and I don't want to be stuffed in your backpack all day. I'll meet you back at  _Leblanc_?"

Akira nodded in understanding.

"Alright. Take care of yourself, okay? Don't start any trouble! And remember, hydrate often!" With a swish of his tail Morgana stole away into the mid-fall afternoon.

Akira's gaze followed Morgana until he vanished from view. And then he was left alone to bake beneath the sun. He shielded his eyes from the light with a canopying hand over his brow and surveyed his surroundings. His friend was nowhere to be seen. She wasn't by the entrance, nor was she on the sidewalk. He didn't even see her over on the next block.

If this was someone's idea of a prank, it was working spectacularly.

Just as Akira was about to head back inside, he spotted a parked red car on the other side of the street, partially covered by the shade of a leafless birch. Its sheen was bright and lustrous and if he didn't know any better he'd think it was a new model.

Like a moth drawn to a flame, he began to approach it. He heard the gentle thrumming of its engine as he drew closer. And when he peered across the dashboard, he spied the silhouette of a woman with short black hair in the driver's seat.

He knew now that this car could only belong to one person.

The dulcet whispers of a jazz piano escaping from the car window tickled him to the core. He locked gazes with the woman in the car. She was gently drumming her fingers on the steering wheel, mimicking the motion of playing keys. For a second, he stood completely still, his breath caught in his throat.

She regarded him and smirked. A spine tingling sensation of despair coursed through his veins.

"Ah, there you are. I was beginning to think you wouldn't make it."

Rugged black leather draped her pointed shoulders. A peacock teal dress sewn from dupioni silk and patterned with white spider webs cloaked her sylphlike frame. The neckline of the thigh high dress dipped to the precipice of her cleavage, sculpting her lower chest and flaunting her alabaster decolletage. Encircling her lithe neck was a studded black choker, and set upon her upper chest was a cross necklace. She had a wavy bob cut which hid her eyebrows and distressed jeans with holes in the knees. Her mascara was natural and grey, yet had a hint of punk rock styling. Fashionable, to say the least.

But even garbed and made up like this, her most prominent features were her drawn lips, beset by tastefully applied lipstick. Those lips had the power to captivate and terrorize. They were beautifully curved, like the Arc De Triomphe, yet they brought about a great unease whenever they bent into a smile.

And yet he still couldn't take his eyes off those bowed lips. Like a sailor drawn to the song of a siren, an irresistible compulsion within him compelled him to her. He took one step closer, then two, then three.

"I hope your day has gone well, Morumotto-kun."

Despite its elegant inflection, her tone evoked suspicion within Akira. Her biting words coiled around him like a snake, enveloped him in darkness. Yet the way in which she spoke them beckoned him closer, enticed him to reply. It was gut instinct that he felt so uncomfortable around her. After all the trials she had put him through, it only made sense that her very voice struck fear in the chords of his heart.

To some, she was called The Plague. To others, the Doctress of Death. He'd even heard a man once spitefully refer to her as the Butcher of Yongen-Jaya.

But to Akira Kurusu, she had one name and one alone.

"You too, Tae."

* * *

_**October 30, 1:50pm  
Shujin Academy** _

"And remember, study chapters seven through twelve in particular. The topics covered in these sections will cover the majority of your midterm exam, so unless you want to stay behind for a fourth year, read carefully."

Just as Makoto's professor finished speaking, the bell brought about the unceremonious end of class. She remained in her seat as her peers scuttled for the exit. Then, when no one was around to peep, she checked her phone. Throughout the entire lecture all she could think about was whether new messages had been sent to the Phantom Thief group chat. But when she brought it up on her messenger app, she saw it had stayed exactly as she left it.

A tiny seed of doubt planted itself in the recesses of her mind. Would Akira be alright, she wondered.

 _"No, of course he'll be okay,"_ she reassured herself. If anyone could get himself out of a tough spot, it was Akira.

She just wished she could have some sort of confirmation of his well-being.

"So Niiji," she heard Eiko titter, her face full of excitement. She sat with her chin propped up in her palms, elbows rooted together on the table. "I'll meet you at the school entrance after classes today?"

Makoto stared at her confusedly. "Sorry?"

"To go shopping! Remember, we talked about it before class? Gosh, you're like, so air-headed sometimes."

"Oh, right." Her brows tightened. "Look, Eiko, I really appreciate what you're doing for me, but-"

"But what!" Eiko squealed. "You don't like want to impress Akira and make him fall  _madly_  in love with you?"

"That's not what I'm-"

"Then it's settled! I know a great place in the Shibuya Underground that sells like  _super_  risque clothes at a bargain price! You're gonna love it, I guarantee it!"

"Eiko, I-"

"No need to thank me! That's what friends are for, right?" She clasped her hands giddily together. "Ooo, my little Niiji-san is all grown up now, going on a dinner date with roguish guys! I'm like so excited to give you a total makeover!"

The disquiet over her complexion and within her breast compounded. "But I don't need a makeover, Eiko. I just-"

"Alright, see you soon! When I'm done with you, he like won't even recognize you! Heck, you probably won't even recognize yourself!"

With a wiggle of her fingers Eiko barreled out of the classroom, the plates of her skirt swishing friskily behind her.

Once Eiko had departed, Makoto freed her held breath, her typically lofty poise collapsing. "I just want to be myself," she whispered to the emptiness of the room. How heavy her shoulders began to feel. With a weary heart, she stood up and left without another word.

Makoto's chin never lifted as she straggled down the hallway. Why had she allowed Eiko to talk her into this, she thought. She could have protested more than she did, but she chose to remain silent. Was it because, deep down, she wanted to impress Akira? Would he even be impressed? He didn't seem to care about such petty things as revealing clothes and dolled up complexions. It was obviously nothing more than a lurid attempt to elicit a reaction from him. It felt fake, disingenuous.

But perhaps it was for the best. Without anyone's help, she might have been even worse off. She had been on exactly zero dates and had never talked to a boy before Akira about anything that wasn't related to school or grades. A hopeless romantic, Makoto pictured the perfect date with her significant other as a candlelit dinner, followed by a dance along the beach, ending with them staying up all night, gazing at stars until dawn's rosy fingers filled the sky with shades of pink and gold.

Eiko had very clearly expressed that this was a bad idea. And in spite of her penchant for causing trouble, Makoto valued her opinion. When it came to courting a crush, Eiko knew all the tricks in the book. The puppy dog eyes, the twirl and smile, the bend and snap – in most cases, boys were like putty in her hands. She would be lying if she didn't admit that a part of her wished she could make Akira feel the same way about her. Not like putty, no, but she wished he would see her in the same light that she saw him.

She hoped that wasn't too much to ask for.

Her seemingly inattentive ambling had brought her to the main office of Shujin Academy. She stared up at the black and white insignia of her school, which hung proudly above the door, and scowled. It had once stood in her mind as a beacon for discipline, learning, and justice. Thanks to Akira, such delusions were banished. She knew now that it was nothing more than a symbol for corruption, greed, and intolerance.

And if there was one thing she could do for Akira to show her gratitude, it was ensure his safety.

Clearing the restlessness that built within her, she put on a stern face. Her posture straightened, her shoulders locked staid, and her eyes once again burned with that fiery passion she was so noted for. Without an inkling of hesitation, she stepped through the door of the main office and spoke.

"I would like to know about the whereabouts of Akira Kurusu."

* * *

_**October 30, 1:52pm  
Shibuya** _

Tae Takemi was not a great driver, or a good driver. It would be a stretch to even say she was a competent driver.

She was, however, a fast driver.

A red streak flew across the highway. The pungent smell of rubber burning asphalt polluted the air. His ears rang from the screaming of the Datsun's powerful 2.4-liter engine. At 151 horsepower and 5600 rotations per minute, it shouldn't have moved as quickly as it did. It was thanks to its driver that it achieved such a speed.

She darted in and out of traffic like a bee weaving through a posy of flowers, fast and unhinged, but commendable in its single-mindedness. There was no hesitation in her eyes as she floored the pedal. In fact, there was a faint glimmer of excitement in those auburn hues, a light pull of her lips, as she pushed the vehicle to its limits. The faster she drove, the more her charcoal hair whipped in the wind, the more that liveliness in her complexion etched upon her countenance.

She felt utterly alive.

Akira, on the other hand, would have been content arriving at their destination  _actually_ alive. Clinging to the back of his seat like a child would his mother, he never removed his eyes from the road. He dug himself so deeply into his chair that the black leather spilled between the spaces of his blanched digits. Thoughts of a man facing death raced through his mind. Did he part on good terms with his friends? Did he live his life to the fullest? Were there any lingering regrets he had?

He prayed to whatever god would listen that Tae would bring him back in one piece.

"So, how's school going?" she asked, resting her arm on the rim of the driver seat window. "Are you learning anything interesting?"

"I suppose," Akira curtly replied. If he seemed preoccupied, it was because his primary focus in that moment was not becoming a statistic.

"That's good." Sharply, she swerved through four lanes of traffic, her tires screeching horribly. She ignored the furious horns of the drivers honking behind her. "Do you have a favorite subject?"

"History," he said.

"Any reason?"

"I like learning about other cultures."

"Oh? Have you done much traveling outside of Japan?"

"Besides our school's trip to Hawaii, no. I would like to, though."

The sides of her lips twitched. She sped past a car on her left before zipping back over to the right. "I hear it's wonderful over there. Palm trees, white sand beaches, crystal clear waters, and of course, beautiful women." Her eyes caught Akira's. "You must have had a good time."

He felt as if she had looked straight into his soul. "I did."

Leaning into her headrest, she lamented, "I never traveled. In university, I was too busy applying to medical school. And once I'd gotten into one, I was busy tearing my hair out to become a doctor. Then I was bogged down by shadowing, and residencies, and fellowships." A short pause. "It was always one goal post after the other."

Akira remained silent. Then, he remarked, "You sound remorseful."

Tae suddenly cut across three more lanes, making him hug his seatbelt for dear life. "If I come across like that, then I've done a poor job of expressing myself," she began. "Being a doctor couldn't make me happier. Treating patients is the passion of my life." There was another short pause. "I only wish I had more time to see the world."

Once his heart had stopped trying to leap out his chest, Akira asked, "Where would you want to go?"

Like a child in a candy store, her expression brightened. "Europe first. Visiting Paris has always been a dream of mine. To spend a day in the Louvre, to walk over the marbled floors of the Palace of Versailles — even in my dreams, it's a treat to visit."

"And what then?"

"Then I would go south to Spain. I would walk the days through the markets of Barcelona and dance away the nights in Ibiza. I'd have to learn some Spanish first, though. I wouldn't want to be a complete tourist in a foreign country."

"What about Pamplona?"

"What about it?"

"I imagine you'd want to attend the San Fermin."

"From what I hear, it's overrated."

"You won't know until you go."

His forwardness brought out another subtle smirk. "Very true, very true." Looking at him in earnest, she asked, "Where did you hear about San Fermin from? I wouldn't imagine they taught about it in school."

"They didn't. I read it in a novel," he answered.

"Which one?"

" _The Sun Also Rises._ "

She clicked her tongue in realization. "Mm, I see. I didn't take you for a reader of Hemingway, Morumotto-kun."

"I haven't read anything else of his."

"I was never a fan, I could never get into that terse tone of his."

"Then who are you a fan of?"

She shrugged. "No one really."

"Truly?"

"Dale Carnegie, if that counts. I never really followed the advice in his books, though."

"What did he write?"

" _How to Win Friends and Influence People_." She adjusted her rearview mirror. "Like I said, I never really followed the advice in his books."

"What about fiction? Do you have any favorite stories?"

"I didn't read fiction as a child, only nonfiction. It felt more applicable, something that I could actually use on a day-to-day basis. Anything that involved fantasy, or space, or alternate timelines was completely lost on me." Her lips spread slyly. "I'm sure you can tell that I was very fun to play make believe with on the playground."

Akira would have been more surprised if he didn't know her better. Although Tae seemed brash, perhaps even reckless at times, every one of her actions was calculated. One look at how precisely she organized her schedule – so that one task started as soon as another finished – proved that fact. That was just how she was, analytical to a tee.

But out of curiosity, he decided to ask her one more question.

"Do you like jazz?"

Her chest rose as she inhaled audibly through her nostrils. "I do, Morumotto-kun."

"Why?"

She grinned wider than Akira had ever seen her grin before. "Because I want to explore the world."

He said nothing, opting to hear her out.

"You said you enjoy history because you like learning about other cultures? It's similar to that. Music can transport you across the world, to completely different times. It can take you through the cobbled streets of Italy, or across the wide deserts of Morocco." There was a childlike glow to Tae's words as she spoke.

"Where does jazz take you?"

She closed her eyes for the briefest of moments and envisioned it. "Down to Louisiana. It takes me to the vibrant boardwalks of New Orleans, where the bright fluorescent lights mingle with the scent of brine on the shoreline wind. Everything burns orange and gold and beautiful. I can taste the smoky aroma of vanilla bourbon on my lips. It takes me past the liquor covered counter of a dive bar, all the way to the back with the cherry red booths and mahogany wood tables. It is humid and muggy and the night is young and pungent with promise."

Akira too closed his eyes and pictured the scene Tae described. He could hear the rhythm of the snare drum, feel the pulse of the bass, smell the cloying scent of Shirley Temple grenadine. When he opened them, he shuddered. But it wasn't out of fear. For the first time on this whole, crazy ride, he wasn't scared. He was  _excited_.

"You never told me you were such an explorer," he said, hanging his arm out the window, his fingers gliding against the billowing wind.

"You never asked," she cooed.

"Maybe if you didn't drug me unconscious and run tests on me every time we met, I could."

She genuinely laughed. It was the first time he'd heard it. It was soft and composed, and for a moment, he almost thought it sounded cute. "Who do you read?" she asked to switch the subject.

"Faulkner, Joyce, Chekhov."

"You're a fan of western writers."

"My mother loved reading western literature. I wanted to connect with her, so I started reading it too."

"What did she read?"

"Mainly Charles Dickens, that was her favorite author."

"My sincere condolences," Tae teased.

He chuckled, his tussled hair whipping in the wind. "Not a fan?"

"I can't bring myself to read a writer whose primary motivation for dragging stories on and on is because he gets paid by the word."

"But he was still a great writer."

"We'll have to agree to disagree there."

Akira tapped his fingers individually against the exterior of the car door. "I remembered my mother reading a chapter of Oliver Twist to me before I went to bed every night."

"Sounds like torture."

"I'd like to think I'm better for suffering through it."

"Whatever you tell yourself to fall sleep at night."

"I slept wonderfully whenever she read it to me, if you must know."

Tae's cheeks rose. "So you're telling me the best compliment you have for the man is that he puts you to bed?"

"Maybe if you'd be more open to him if you had a better night's rest."

Another laugh. "Touché."

"You don't need to practice your French around me, Tae. I already know want to go to France."

She shot him a sidelong glance. "Sometimes you're too clever for your own good, Morumotto-kun."

He decided to take that as a compliment. "Besides the length of his stories, what else didn't you like about Dickens?"

"Oh you know, how bone-dry his plots are, how unimaginably goody-two-shoes his main characters are," Tae listed in a sing-songy tone.

"You're being too hard on him."

"So you enjoyed being read Oliver Twist every night?"

"No, it was beyond boring."

"I thought so."

"But I remember that my mom was busy with work one weekend. She didn't come home until late in the night. And as much as I hated listening to Dickens, I couldn't fall asleep until she came home and read a chapter to me."

"Like I said, the best thing you have to say about him is that he puts you to sleep."

Akira smirked. "I know you're joking."

"Only partially."

He paused and stared into the thicket of bare trees obscuring the skyline. "I think it's the memories I associate with Dickens that make me so fond of him. I remember falling asleep to my mother's voice as she read to me." He thought back to his childhood, his mother's hand running through his hair, the kisses she placed on his forehead, the blankets being tucked in beneath him. His complexion lightened. "Even today, when I read Oliver Twist, I feel safe. I'm taken back to the days when she brought hot cocoa up to my room on cold winter nights. It makes me feel like I'm home."

It was only after he'd spoken the words that he noticed Tae's gaze was no longer on the road. Rather, it was solely fixated upon him. That wide, bright smile of hers had returned. But unlike before, it didn't instill fear in Akira. It made him feel hopeful.

And then, she said something he never imagined he'd hear from those lips.

"Thank you."

Akira's face grew hot with embarrassment. "Sorry, I got carried away." He shrunk away and dragged his hand back into the car.

"Don't be. You were being honest with me." After a few more moments of examining him like she would a patient, she returned her sights to the road. "It's a beautiful thing, to feel so comfortable around someone that you abandon your defenses and lower your mask."

His ears perked and the redness in his face dissipated.

"We always wear masks, Akira," she said. "We act differently around different people, that's human nature. But so long as these masks are true representations of ourselves, there's nothing wrong with that. It's when we put on masks that betray our true natures that we begin to lose who we are."

She looked at him compassionately.

"I would never have expected you to remove your mask for anyone but yourself. But you did for me today, Akira, even if it was only for a split second. So thank you. Thank you for letting me truly see you."

He allowed the gravity of her statement to hit him before mustering a response. "That was beautiful."

Tae exhaled loudly out her nostrils. "Don't get used to it," she remarked pithily. "You just happened to catch me in a good mood today."

Akira thought of protesting her claim, but elected not to. Just as she allowed him to wear his mask, so too did he oblige her. "What's the reason?" he asked instead.

"You."

He blinked curiously. "Come again?"

"These past few months, I've made major breakthroughs in developing Miwa-chan's medicine. It's all thanks to you, Muromoto-kun, that I've come this far. Using you as my guinea pig has been instrumental to my success. Your unremarkably average body has worked splendidly for testing my drug."

Akira remained silent. He wasn't sure if he should say you're welcome.

"Today, I discovered that I had nearly perfected my work. I just need to test my latest batch and make the final calibrations. Once I'm finished, not only will Miwa-chan be cured, but so will thousands of other children. So many lives will be saved."

And then, a devilish glint appeared in her eyes. The warmth of her visage completely vanished, replaced in its stead by cold, Machiavellian ambition.

"And you're not going anywhere until it's complete."

His brows grooved at the sudden, dark shift in her tone. What appeared to be an innocuous car ride had suddenly gone terribly awry. "What do you mean? I can't-"

The doors locked shut.

"Like I said," Tae breathed, "You're not going anywhere until my work is complete. Now, be a good little guinea pig and relax. There's much testing to be done, and I can't have my test subject be tense beforehand. It might mess up the results."

His throat plunged into his stomach as they barreled at a breakneck pace of ninety-five miles per hour down the highway. The wind blew the sweet scent of autumn susurrations upon his lips. There were no speed limits, no turn signals, and no bathroom breaks.

And most importantly, there was no getting off this wild ride.

* * *

_**October 30, 3:04pm  
Shujin Academy** _

The final bell of the day rang. Within the sea of identically clad students, who poured like ants out of Shujin Academy's main entrance, were Ryuji and Ann. The former's face was creased in anger, the latter's in worry.

"Man, it's friggin' hot out today," Ryuji groaned. "It feels like it's still summer."

"I know," said Ann. "I was dying in class today."

"Hey, at least you got a window seat. I'm stuck in the middle of the room where things get the stuffiest." With a resounding sigh, he mumbled, "Ugh, I feel so gross right now. I need a shower…"

"Do you think Akira will be okay? I hope nothing bad happened to him."

"I'm sure he's fine. I mean, think of everything that's happened to us these past few months. Do you really think Akira would be that careless and get himself expelled?"

"But he was called down to the main office and never came back." She sighed. "I'm worried Ryuji, I think he might really be in big trouble."

"Hey, when has Akira ever been in situation he couldn't get out of? He's fine. Trust me."

His words did little to console her. "If you say so."

He noticed by her lack of response that he wasn't reaching her. "But if he's not okay," he continued, "I'm going to beat the shit out of the bastards who screwed with him! They'll be sorry they ever messed with the Phantom Thieves!"

That seemed to do the trick. Bringing her fists to her chest, Ann proudly huffed, "Yeah! No one messes with Akira on our watch!"

Just as they began to rile themselves up, they heard a voice from behind them say, "Before you start a commotion you should probably know that Akira is fine."

They swung around in unison to see who had spoken. To their surprise, it was Makoto. "I just went to the main office and had a talk with the interim president. It seems he was let out of school early because of an emergency, but otherwise, he's perfectly alright."

"Ah, Makoto! That's amazing news!" Ann quickly took a seat next to Makoto and rested her arms over her bent knees. "Seriously, I don't know what I would've done if something happened to him. I was so worried all day thinking about it."

Makoto agreed. "I was worried too, Ann. But we can rest knowing that at the least he hasn't found himself in any trouble with the school."

"Yeah, that's a huge relief," said Ryuji. "Thanks for lettin' us know, Niijima-san. You're incredible." He leaned against a wall and smiled down at her.

"Yeah, thanks Makoto!" Ann cheered, ringing her arms around her friend. "I can't believe you were able to get that kind of information out of the substitute president, you're amazing!"

Makoto felt the onset of a blush mantling her cheeks. "Well, I do have some perks as student council president."

"I'll say! Is there anything you can't do, Niijima-san?" Ann beamed.

Win Akira's heart – was what she thought, but didn't say.

Throwing two fists into the air, Ryuji cheered, "Well, now that everything's settled, let's go celebrate!"

"But he wasn't in any danger in the first place," Makoto noted. "We only thought he was."

"Er, uh, well yeah, but…"

"Don't mind him," Ann snickered. "He just wants an excuse to stuff his face with ramen. Isn't that right, Sakamoto?"

"Hey!  _Totally_  not cool!" he yelled, wiping the sweat forming on his brow.

She hid her laughter in her palm. "It's the truth though, right?"

"Yeah, but I mean, still…" Ryuji grumbled. Shaking off the insult, he turned to Makoto with a bright grin. "So, what do you say? Wanna come grab some ramen with me, Niijima-san?"

Before Makoto could answer, Ann spoke up for her.

"She's busy, Ryuji. Unlike  _you_ , she has her grades to look out for."

Ryuji frowned. "Man Takamaki. You are being  _relentless_  today, you know that?"

"Sorry," she giggled. "You just make yourself such an easy target."

He let out a deep harrumph and rumbled at Ann, "Well, do  _you_  at least wanna get some ramen with me?"

She shook her head. "No can do. I'm going to the mall with Haru today."

"What?! Again?! Didn't you just go out shopping yesterday?"

"For your information, it was only window shopping. We didn't actually get to pick out that much."

"Whatever." With a sad pout, Ryuji conceded, "Alright, guess I'll just go by myself then."

"I'm sorry, Ryuji," Makoto apologized. "I'll go with you another day, I promise."

He rubbed the underside of his nose. "Ah, it's no problem Niijima-san. I understand that you're busy. Your work is way more important than grabbing some noodles." Passing over Ann, he muttered, "But you have no excuse, you money-spending shrew."

"Hey!" Ann yelled. "Where the hell did that come from, Ryuji?"

He didn't answer her. Throwing up two fingers, he parted, "Later Ann, Niijima-san," and headed for the subway.

Once he was out of sight, Ann thinned her gaze on the area he occupied. "I can't believe he called me a shrew..." she murmured. "He's such a jerk sometimes."

Makoto's lips pulled upwards. "He can be a bit much sometimes. But you did push his buttons, Ann."

"Yeah… you're right," she said. "But it's totally different when I make fun of him!"

"Oh really?"

"Definitely!"

Before Makoto could reply, she felt something latch onto her arm. Or, in this case, someone.

"Niiji-sannnn! I found you!" It was the one and only queen of gossip, Eiko Takao. Squeezing against Makoto so hard that she pancaked her between herself and Ann, she squealed, "Come on, let's get going! We've like got a lot of work to do if we're wanna be ready for tonight."

"Ready for tonight?" Ann echoed, passing a confused glance to Makoto.

Makoto's heart felt like it skipped a beat. She had told Ann after English that she wouldn't be able to spend time with her because she was going to be busy studying. If she knew the truth, she would be devastated. "I promised Eiko that we would study together tonight," she swiftly lied. "That's why I couldn't accept your invitation to go out."

"Huh? Wait, Niiji-san, I thought we we-" Eiko began. She stopped when she felt a rough nudge of Makoto's shoulder against her own.

"Eiko doesn't like to study alone, so I told her I would help her out. The more the merrier, right?" As she finished her explanation, she sent a vehement glare to Eiko, one that said 'not another word.'

Falling in line, Eiko quickly feigned, "Ah, r-right! We were gonna study math and stuff! You know, like triggernomics!"

A long pause.

Ann studied the two of them dubiously. In the back of her mind, she thought something was suspicious with the way they acted. But without any evidence to suggest otherwise, she decided to take Makoto's word. "Ah, I guess that makes sense." Abruptly she stood up and, with a sway of her pointer finger as a gesture of goodbye, she said, "Well, don't let me keep you waiting! Have fun tonight, you two. And good luck on your test!"

"Wait, Takamaki," said Makoto, standing up after her friend. "Do you want us to walk with you to the subway?"

Ann shook her head. "I'm going to be meeting Haru in Shinjuku. Thanks for the offer though, I appreciate it!" Her eyes shrunk as she smiled.

"I see." With an expression of joy that betrayed her inner regret, she chimed, "Take care, then. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Likewise!" Ann gleamed. And just like that, she and her platinum blonde locks disappeared from view.

As Ann departed, Makoto sensed the turmoil within her growing. She had just lied to her friend, and worse than that, it was straight to her face.  _"It's to protect her,"_  she reasoned, biting down on her inner cheek.  _"She wouldn't understand if I tried to explain it. It's better this way."_

While she was still deep in thought, Eiko leaned toward her and asked, "Hey Niiji-san, were you like being serious back there about studying? I thought we were gonna go shopping at Shibuya."

Makoto turned to face Eiko. "We are. I just… I couldn't tell Ann that we were."

"Ooo, is that juicy gossip I sense? What's going on between you and Takamaki!"

"It's nothing. Let's just go. I don't want to talk about this anymore." Without saying another word, Makoto stormed off, her hands balled tightly by her sides.

Blinking like an owl, Eiko shouted, "Wait!" as she trailed after her friend. "Come on, Niiji-san, don't be like that! You can tell me, I promise I won't say anything!"

As they left Shujin, the sun, which had so faithfully shone in the middle of the sky, began to dim behind the cover of the clouds. A looming darkness followed Makoto's shadow, and the convocation of dusk began to creep over the yellowed horizon.

* * *

_**October 30, 4:12pm  
Cafe Leblanc** _

Ryuji stormed into the cafe with the subtlety of a bulldozer. Despite being the one who organized the meeting to help Akira with his lady problem, he was the last to arrive. Panting wildly as he swung open the front door, he yelled, "Yo! I'm here!" and swiftly scanned the room for his friends.

"Tsk tsk tsk. Late as usual, Sakamoto-kun," he heard a haughty voice titter at him from the booth by the door. His head whipped sideways. Sitting in the booth were Yusuke and Akechi, each with a cup of freshly brewed coffee in hand. Akechi, who had mocked him earlier, leaned forward in his seat and remarked, "You've made a habit of never showing up on time, as well as making a ruckus whenever it is that you show up. You're quite lucky that Sakura-san is not currently present, he certainly would not have appreciated the way you handled the front door."

Ryuji would have replied with a snappy comment if he could think of one. But in that moment, there was only one concern on his mind. "Where is Akira?"

"We were hoping you could tell us more about that," Akechi said, bringing the brew to his lips and sipping elegantly. "I believe you said in the group chat that he was picked up from school for an emergency, correct?"

Ryuji nodded. "Yeah, that's what Makoto told me and Ann. She heard about it from the substitute president at Shujin." Sliding into the booth beside Yusuke, he murmured, "I guess he hasn't made it back yet, huh."

Akechi hummed thoughtfully into his gloved hand. "Well, if he is preoccupied with an emergency, there is little else that can be done."

"What are you talkin' about?  _This_  is an emergency right here!"

"I wonder if my drawings would look sweeter if I mixed coffee into my palette…" Yusuke mused, completely oblivious of the conversation occurring around him.

"I agree that the situation is rather dire," started Akechi. "I even took a day off my detective duties so that I could be here with you all today. But we shouldn't get ourselves too worked up over all of this. After all, it is still just a text."

"Yeah, but it's a text that says  _I love you_ ," stressed Ryuji. "Do you know how bad that'd be if that message got sent to someone like Ann, or Haru? That'd make the whole going around being Phantom Thieves thing, like, mega awkward!"

Akechi gingerly rubbed his chin as if checking for beard stubble. "Hm. I hadn't considered that."

"That's because you don't get girls!"

"And you do, Sakamoto-kun?"

"Y-yeah! Or at least, I get them better than you!"

"What if perhaps I used curry?" continued Yusuke to himself. "Could the properties of cumin and turmeric elevate my work to its next level?"

"In that case, we should make a plan to handle the worst case scenario," said Akechi.

"Worst case scenario?" Ryuji asked. "What's the worst case scenario in this situation?"

Akechi's complexion turned severe. Resting his chin on the apex of his steepled fingers, he surmised, "We know that Akira is not the most verbose when it comes to speaking with women, especially when the topic of discussion is romance. We also know, given our experiences with him, that women tend to be drawn toward him. Given that he will likely broach the topic of the contents of the message with all of the women he is close to, it is possible that he will accidentally incite their hidden desire for him. From this, we can predict the worst case scenario."

"Uh…" droned Ryuji, still lost on the point Akechi was trying to make. "So what are you gettin' at?"

"What I'm getting at," said Akechi, "Is that the worst case scenario is Akira stealing the hearts of all his female companions."

There was a short pause.

It was crudely interrupted by Ryuji bursting into laughter.

"Hahahaha! What are you talkin' about dude? Are you seriously sayin' that Akira's some kinda playboy?!" Ryuji howled. "He's an idiot when it comes to girls! I mean, the last time he tried talking to a waitress at the Shibuya Diner, he started choking on an ice cube mid order. Totally scared her away. She was so traumatized, we had to get a new one."

"I'm not saying it's the most likely scenario," Akechi corrected, "Just the worst possible one."

"Yeah, yeah," he said flippantly. "The day Akira shows up with a girl wrapped around his arm is the day I kiss one!"

The right side of Akechi's mouth curved unnaturally up his face. "You've never kissed a girl, Sakamoto-kun?"

Flabbergasted by his statement, Ryuji spluttered, "Er, uh, well, no but… T-That's besides the point!"

"Oh, did I broach a sensitive topic?"

"Shaddup!"

"I thought you 'got girls' better than me, Sakamoto."

"I said shaddup!"

"I wonder if crushed paprika can be used as a substitute for red paint…" Yusuke pondered.

"Dammit Yusuke!" Ryuji snapped, rising from his seat. "Could you stop thinkin' about your doodles for one second and help us out here?!"

It wasn't a second after Ryuji's tantrum that the door to  _Leblanc_  burst open. All their gazes turned to the entrance, and an expression of impossible shock spread across their countenances.

"Akira-san."

"Akira, is that…?"

"Woah! W-w-what the hell are you doing with…!"

With a throaty groan, Akira Kurusu stumbled carelessly into  _Leblanc_. His hair was disheveled, his clothes were a mess, and his eyes, which were normally calm and analytic, were half-lidded and as bloodshot as an alcoholic sailor's. Taking a groggy step forward, he fell onto his stomach, his legs incapable of supporting his body. As he laid motionless on the ground, he extended his arm weakly toward his friends and, with the last of his strength, mumbled a single word:

"Help."

Before they could assist their friend to his feet, a seemingly innocuous voice rung in their ears. "Oh my," it soothed, "You seem to have fallen. Let me help you up." A deadly premonition crossed each of the boys' instincts. Stepping over his body, a woman in a white lab coat reached down and, with a hard tug, pulled Akira back to his feet. She wrapped her arm around Akira's and introduced herself with a mischievous wink.

"Good afternoon boys, my name is Tae Takemi. Could I have a word with you?"

* * *

 **A/N:**  Hi friends! I hope you're all doing well and have enjoyed the story so far. Thanks so much for the comments and kudos! I really appreciate them, and each one of them motivates me to continue writing!

To address one of the comments made by a reader, I always imagined that having a smart phone wasn't absolutely crucial since, in the worst case scenario, Akira could borrow one of the other Phantom Thieves' smart phones and go into the Metaverse with them, similar to how Ann and Makoto went with the others into the Metaverse when they didn't have phones with the app. Also, I have thought about the point of Futaba hacking into Akira's phone to determine who received the text. I can only say that I do have a reason for not having that scenario play out, and it's plot related! However, it's quite a ways a way, so I won't spoil it here!


End file.
